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More Air Force drones are crashing than ever as mysterious new problems emerge
washingtonpost.com ^
| January 20 at 10:02 AM
| Craig Whitlock
Posted on 01/20/2016 2:33:32 PM PST by BenLurkin
Driving the increase was a mysterious surge in mishaps involving the Air Force's newest and most advanced "hunter-killer" drone, the Reaper, which has become the Pentagon's favored weapon for conducting surveillance and airstrikes against the Islamic State, al-Qaeda and other militant groups.
The Reaper has been bedeviled by a rash of sudden electrical failures that have caused the 21/2-ton drone to lose power and drop from the sky, according to accident-investigation documents obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. Investigators have traced the problem to a faulty starter-generator, but have been unable to pinpoint why it goes haywire or devise a permanent fix.
All told, 20 large Air Force drones were destroyed or sustained at least $2 million in damage in accidents last year, the worst annual toll ever, according to a Washington Post investigation. The Pentagon has shrouded the extent of the problem and kept details of most of the crashes a secret.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: airforce; drones; reaper; reapers; usaf
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1
posted on
01/20/2016 2:33:32 PM PST
by
BenLurkin
To: BenLurkin
They are getting hacked. The hajis are jihadi hackers now.
2
posted on
01/20/2016 2:35:00 PM PST
by
shankbear
(The tree of Liberty appears to be perishing because there are few patriots willing to refresh it.)
To: BenLurkin
Investigators have traced the problem to a faulty starter-generator, but have been unable to pinpoint why it goes haywire . . .Turn it over and see if it was made in China.
3
posted on
01/20/2016 2:35:52 PM PST
by
Oatka
(Beware of an old man in a profession where men usually die young.)
To: BenLurkin
4
posted on
01/20/2016 2:35:58 PM PST
by
mountainlion
(Live well for those that did not make it back.)
To: BenLurkin
First question, the faulty starter-generator and how many other parts are sourced from the ChiComs?
5
posted on
01/20/2016 2:35:59 PM PST
by
Mastador1
(I'll take a bad dog over a good politician any day!)
To: BenLurkin
I wonder if they are using any hardware that is foreign sourced, like say from China?
6
posted on
01/20/2016 2:38:14 PM PST
by
WMarshal
(Who in the Republican Party will be brave enough to name Obama a traitor?)
To: BenLurkin
Deliberate jamming or feeding a virus to the OS of the computers that control the drone?
Cyber warfare has gotten pretty sophisticated in recent years. Sure, the ISIS barbarians are for the most part, ignorant louts, but occasionally, there is an astute one or two that manages to hack into the weapons control systems, and turn our own devices AGAINST us.
7
posted on
01/20/2016 2:38:34 PM PST
by
alloysteel
(If I considered the consequences of my actions, I would rarely do anything.)
To: BenLurkin
Pinging Michael Crichton!
To: mountainlion
Bad muffler bearing probably...
9
posted on
01/20/2016 2:43:38 PM PST
by
refermech
To: shankbear
Hackers. Today destroy, tomorrow control and redirect.
10
posted on
01/20/2016 2:45:35 PM PST
by
Ray76
To: shankbear
They are getting hacked. The hajis are jihadi hackers now. Gee, who didn't see this coming? /s
11
posted on
01/20/2016 2:47:26 PM PST
by
dfwgator
To: refermech
Yeah... that’s gotta be it...
12
posted on
01/20/2016 2:48:21 PM PST
by
OKSooner
(If Ted Cruz is a Natural Born American, Barack H. Obama is also even if he wasn't born in the USA.)
To: refermech
Bad muffler bearing probably...Electronics by Lucas?
13
posted on
01/20/2016 2:52:50 PM PST
by
IYAS9YAS
(I got nothin'.)
To: BenLurkin
14
posted on
01/20/2016 2:57:18 PM PST
by
moovova
To: BenLurkin
We always called it.. lowest bidder.
15
posted on
01/20/2016 3:01:56 PM PST
by
momincombatboots
(Trump... The only Democrat who can win. Democrat plant! Well played democrats!)
To: BenLurkin
First thing I’d do is see who’s flying them. Our military has been severely compromised by this administration. Who knows who they’ve got at the controls?
16
posted on
01/20/2016 3:12:02 PM PST
by
Fireone
(The future must belong to those who tell the truth about Islam.)
To: IYAS9YAS
“Electronics by Lucas?”
Well, they did invent the short circuit didn’t they?
17
posted on
01/20/2016 3:18:27 PM PST
by
KrisKrinkle
(Blessed be those who know the depth and breadth of their ignorance. Cursed be those who don't.)
To: Oatka
Or made by contractors hired for their diversity or political donations instead of their expertise.
18
posted on
01/20/2016 3:33:12 PM PST
by
Rusty0604
(1)
To: BenLurkin
19
posted on
01/20/2016 3:34:46 PM PST
by
right way right
(May we remain sober over mere men, for God really is our one and only true hope.)
To: right way right
Ethanol in the fuel? LOL
No. It's a turboprop, runs on JP-8 or JET-A.
20
posted on
01/20/2016 3:37:48 PM PST
by
NorthMountain
("The time has come", the Walrus said, "to talk of many things")
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