[Darksheare]

"Instead of more steel, the director said, timely reconnaissance is crucial for safeguarding fighting units."

I like this line.
The Cole would STILL have had a hole blown into it regardless of how much recon they did, or how many UAV's they had flying around.
The only way they would have prevented it, would be to violate ROE and blow the rubber dinghy up before it came alongside.
And they had no reason to think there was a threat.
Sounds like someone is passing the buck and making excuses to fund a pet project rather than lay blame where it goes and change operating procedure.
Like bringing back fast fleet oilers rather than have us go into port to fuel vessels like the Cole.

[Paul Ross]

...Like bringing back fast fleet oilers rather than have us go into port to fuel vessels like the Cole.

Common Sense, NO-KIDDING, BUMP! Wonder why Rummy ISN'T doing this? There are apparently a number of tankers that could be bought for relative peanuts on the open market ( there is a big glut right now) and retrofitted to fleet oilers.

[R. Scott]

Sounds like someone is passing the buck and making excuses to fund a pet project …

Much of our defense posture has the primary mission of funding the defense industry, not providing the most efficient military force possible. “High Tech” rules, and much like LBJ’s Best and Brightest the people who make the big decisions either have no idea what’s happening in combat or they are political animals trying their best to make The Party happy.