Posted on 01/04/2020 3:06:04 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
You only get "one shot" while taking down a target like Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, drone expert Brett Velicovich said Saturday.
Appearing on "America's News HQ: Weekend" with host Ed Henry, Velicovich -- who once tracked Soleimani's movements -- said that the drone strike on Soleimani was a " forceful reminder that the Iranians can no longer attack Americans with impunity, [as well as] that the U.S. government can retaliate with a wide variety of options that are both devastating actions that are short of war."
"Thanks to President Trump's decisive action, we are able to use one of the tools within the government's arsenal to strike and to strike Soleimani with precision," he added.
The MQ-9 Reaper drone was used to strike Soleimani early Friday at the Baghdad International Airport. With a range of 1,150 miles and the ability to fly at altitudes of 50,000 feet, the Reaper weighs almost 5,000 pounds empty.
According to the U.S. Air Force, the drone system is an "armed, multi-mission, medium-altitude, long-endurance" drone that is designed primarily for offensive strikes.
The Reaper, which became operational in 2007, can also conduct surveillance, assist in search and rescue missions, and allow the U.S. to "conduct irregular warfare operations."
"The MQ9 Reaper is [an] advanced version of what's known as the Predator drone which a lot of people know as the drone used to strike Al Qaeda," Velicovich said. "And, basically, it's used by special operations personnel for surveillance to strike and it's a very sought-after drone that's used."
He told Henry that the Reaper has "an incredible payload" with laser-guided and hellfire missiles which are "all designed to give targeters like [himself] the ability to strike with extreme precision."
Velicovich said that, with a target like Soleimani, "he's priority number one. It's all about precision...
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
concise summary
thanks for the post.
There is a type of Hellfire that does not kill the target with high explosives. Just before it hits blades come out that are about 2 feet long each and it cuts through the target at about 1000 MPH and destroys everything within. Its a modern way to go all medieval on someone’s arse. I hope this is the one they used on that bastard.
Everyone in this picture is willing to strap a bomb to his waist and blow up innocent people, for his sick religion, and is therefore a terroist.
Take 'em out. Take them out every chance you get, without mercy. So why didn't we? (Trump's my guy. So I'm not blaming him. But he's getting bad advice somewhere along the line.)
I finally got it.
Soleimani looks like George Clooney.
I’m glad whoever was operating the drone brought their A game. It would not have been good to have taken the shot and missed.
Such a benign-looking little gizmo :-)
Soleimani looks like Sean Connery
Connery may have his faults, but he’s never had that crazy, malignant, soul-sold look in his eyes.
Correct, I cannot remember any character that Connery played that was evil. Self centered maybe but not evil like “Salimani”
Well, I was thinking of the man himself, not the roles he played.
When you live a life concentrated on plotting for terror and murder, it can’t help but show up in your face.
We need more cowbell.
Well, “Reaper” is an apt name.
Dude definitely got more cowbell on that one.
Hard to defend Clooney but Clooney is like 99 percent of Hollywood, vacuous, vainglorious idiots looking for a fashionable cause. Hardly the evil, murderous villain Sali boy was.
Well, I was referring to Connery, not Clooney.
(I could watch Connery in his roles endlessly, no matter how old he got; Clooney, not so much - boring ‘pretty boy’ :-)
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