Posted on 07/15/2007 11:32:19 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
Robot air attack squadron bound for Iraq
By CHARLES J. HANLEY, AP Special Correspondent 30 minutes ago
The airplane is the size of a jet fighter, powered by a turboprop engine, able to fly at 300 mph and reach 50,000 feet. It's outfitted with infrared, laser and radar targeting, and with a ton and a half of guided bombs and missiles.
The Reaper is loaded, but there's no one on board. Its pilot, as it bombs targets in Iraq, will sit at a video console 7,000 miles away in Nevada.
The arrival of these outsized U.S. "hunter-killer" drones, in aviation history's first robot attack squadron, will be a watershed moment even in an Iraq that has seen too many innovative ways to hunt and kill.
That moment, one the Air Force will likely low-key, is expected "soon," says the regional U.S. air commander. How soon? "We're still working that," Lt. Gen. Gary North said in an interview.
The Reaper's first combat deployment is expected in Afghanistan, and senior Air Force officers estimate it will land in Iraq sometime between this fall and next spring. They look forward to it.
"With more Reapers, I could send manned airplanes home," North said.
The Associated Press has learned that the Air Force is building a 400,000-square-foot expansion of the concrete ramp area now used for Predator drones here at Balad, the biggest U.S. air base in Iraq, 50 miles north of Baghdad. That new staging area could be turned over to Reapers.
It's another sign that the Air Force is planning for an extended stay in Iraq, supporting Iraqi government forces in any continuing conflict, even if U.S. ground troops are drawn down in the coming years.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Send them to Iran.
The only thing that seems to missing a massive speaker setup for playing heavy metal as it seeks out prey.
Skynet
Cool.
WOW! Very nice.
..."Darn it R2D2, I TOLD you to keep your mouth SHUT!"
What kinda music? Slayer?
War Ensemble sounds like a good choice.
This link has more pictures (including one of a weapons-loaded version):
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/attack-of-the-hunter+killer-grim-reaper-robots-232880.php
If our enemies read the title like I did, I bet there were some “heads up” a few minutes ago:’)
Robot Squadron! To Iraq!
I’d suggest Wagnerian opera but it’s been done. Besides, the Muslims with their Nazi ties might actually like the stuff.
War Ensemble sounds like a good choice.
No way, it must be Wagner's Ride of the Valkyrie, a la Apocalypse Now.
Now for the unmanned truck convoys & tanks.....where IEDs & snipers are rendered almost useless......
Can't ignore the classics, IMO.
1812 overture. (BOOM)
Pat Travers - Boom Boom (Out Go The Lights)
They will be closing shop as they have been informed there'll be NO NEW manned combat aircraft.
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