Posted on 09/23/2001 10:03:55 AM PDT by Old Lady
The life of an American pilot.
A modern artillery shell costs $10,000. And, no, I didn't misplace a couple of zeroes.
What does it do...whistle Yankee Doodle instead of the normal incoming shriek? Seems a bit pricey compared to what we used to pay for dumb shells.
September 23, 2001 11:59 am EST
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld confirmed Sunday the U.S. military had lost contact with an unmanned spy plane deployed as part of a massive effort to retaliate for attacks on the United States. But he told reporters the United States had no reason to believe the reconnaissance aircraft had been shot down, and he gave no details on the exact location of the plane.
"The United States has, in fact, lost -- lost contact, I should say, with an unmanned aerial vehicle. That happens from time to time, in terms of the controls," Rumsfeld told reporters after appearing on CBS "Face the Nation" program.
"We have no reason to believe it was shot down, as the press has reported," he added.
Afghanistan's ruling Taliban said their forces had shot down an unmanned spy plane and a helicopter in areas where opposition forces reported sweeping advances.
U.S. defense officials said Saturday that about a dozen more aircraft, including refueling planes, would move soon to the Gulf and the Indian Ocean, within range of Afghanistan, to join nearly 350 warplanes at land bases and on two aircraft carriers.
Rumsfeld's comments were the first from a U.S. official after claims from the Taliban ruling government of Afghanistan that it had shot down the unmanned spy plane near Kabul.
President Bush has accused the Taliban of harboring Osama bin Laden, a primary suspect in devastating Sept. 11 hijacked plane attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon that left more than 6,800 people dead or missing.
The Taliban's ambassador in Islamabad, Mullah Abdul Saleem Zaeef, said the spy plane, which had no pilot or passenger seats, was shot down while taking pictures over northern Afghanistan. He said it made two or three rounds over the area before being downed. The people who shot it down were not aviation experts, he said, and could not say if it had any distinctive markings.
Iraq has recently claimed to have shot down two unmanned U.S. Predator spy planes, which can be remotely operated and remain aloft for nearly 24 hours at a time to relay information on targets and ground movements.
The $3.2 million Air Force RQ-1B Predator aircraft is part of a reconnaissance and targeting system.
With a wingspan of 48.7 feet, the Predator air vehicle weighs 950 pounds empty and 2,250 pounds when fully equipped for reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition. It cruises at up to 25,000 feet at speeds up to 140 miles an hour, which makes it vulnerable not only to missiles but anti-aircraft gunfire.
US loses spy plane over Afghanistan
The US wants to avoid a violent regional backlash
The United States has dismissed fears that its forces could get trapped in Afghanistan but confirmed that one of its spy planes has been lost there.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell confirmed that US military planners were targeting the organisation of Saudi-born militant Osama Bin Laden in Afghanistan in the first phase of a war on terrorism.
I think in the near future, we will be able to put out a paper, a document, that will describe quite clearly the evidence that we have linking him [Bin Laden] to this attack
US Secretary of State Colin Powell As the United States continued a massive military build-up in the region, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld admitted that a spy plane had been lost over Afghanistan. On Saturday the ruling Taleban said they had shot down an unmanned spy plane.
Mr Powell said the US military was aware of the history of foreign armies in Afghanistan and did not intend to get trapped there, in a veiled reference to defeats suffered by British and Soviet forces at the hands of Afghan fighters.
Bin Laden 'missing'
"I don't think we should even consider a large-scale war at this point," he said on US television.
He was scornful of reports that Bin Laden - named as the chief suspect in the 11 September suicide attacks on the United States - had gone missing.
Earlier, Taleban officials were quoted as saying Bin Laden - whom they have refused to hand over to the US - had disappeared.
In other developments:
Pakistan and India welcome President Bush's decision to lift US sanctions against them imposed after their tit-for-tat nuclear tests in 1998
Former US President Bill Clinton says that while in office he gave orders to arrest and if necessary kill Bin Laden
US Predator spy drones are commonly used for low-level reconnaissance
President Bush discusses the Afghan crisis by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin
Afghanistan's exiled former king, Zahir Shah, says he is ready to return to "serve his people"
The foreign ministers of six Arab Gulf states discuss the level of support to be offered to the Americans 13 British warships pass through Suez Canal, heading for military manoeuvres in Oman
The UN comes under intense pressure to resume wheat imports to famine-stricken Afghanistan
New York prepares for big memorial services to honour the more than 6,000 people feared killed in the attacks Taleban officials say more than 100,000 people are being trained and armed to face possible attack
The head of Israeli military intelligence, Major-General Amos Malka, says he sees no direct link between Iraq and the suicide attacks in the US.
The US secretary of state dismissed concerns that Pakistan could be destabilised by its government's support for the US anti-terrorism campaign.
Mr Powell said Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf was supported by his military commanders and government.
"So I'm confident Pakistan will remain stable, and I have no concerns about their nuclear programme," he added.
Military build-up
US forces are continuing to mass in the Gulf and Indian Ocean.
US defence officials say more warplanes are being sent to bases or aircraft-carriers near Afghanistan, adding to the estimated 350 planes already in the region.
Five thousand extra air national guard and air force reservists have been called up, bringing the total number to 15,000.
Meanwhile, the UK defence ministry has played down newspaper reports that crack SAS troops are already inside Afghanistan working with the anti-Taleban Northern Alliance.
US officials said President Vladimir Putin assured Mr Bush that Russia would co-operate in any US efforts against Bin Laden and would not oppose any similar help from ex-Soviet states in Central Asia.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/americas/newsid_1559000/1559564.stm
Would you rather we send in manned planes at $200,000,000 or more each?
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