Blix says Iraq refusing U2 spy flights

HA'ARETZ ^ | January 20th, 2003

[Mossad1967]

Top UN weapons inspector Hans Blix said on Monday Iraq had refused to allow reconnaissance flights by U2 aircraft over its territory to aid inspectors in their search for any weapons of mass destruction...

[Teacher317]

Well, if they're refusing U2 flights, we'll just have to use every other aircraft we have.

My personal favorites include the A-10, the C-130 "Spooky", the F-117, the F-16, the B-57, B-2, and my *sniff!* retired SR-71.

We should fly NASA's Blackbird over Iraq after the war, just for my personal pleasure. ;^)

[Long Cut]

Oh, we can't do U-2 overflights? Very well, then...

It never ceases to amaze me, how frequently the international community underestimates us. The aircraft pictured above, the SR-71 BLACKBIRD, could overfly any nation on Earth TODAY with impunity. It remains all but unstoppable when at full speed, and it's over 40 years old.

One could be flying in 90 days, if it's not ready as we speak.

[Vinnie]

Do we have a plane called the U2?

No, Yes.

They have jazzed up the old U2, given it another designation, that I can't recall, and still fly them.

[VMI70]

Let me rephrase--satellites aren't provocative to Iraq, because it is impossible for them to do anything about them.

[Poohbah]

The Air Farce has the TR-1, which is essentially a rebuilt U-2.

[Poohbah]

It never ceases to amaze me, how frequently the international community underestimates us.

I think you misspelled "misunderestimates."

[RoughDobermann]

There was a tactical recon version (TR-1) for a while. Now, they are all U-2Rs, IIRC.

[ellery]

How about WAR?!

[GailA]

According to the History Channel saddam knew the timing of the Sats and halted movement of his equipment to fool them. Have they changed the timing schedules and gone to RANDOM searches? Thou shall NOT establish a pattern was a lesson that should have been learned after Pearl Harbor.

[Poohbah]

According to the History Channel saddam knew the timing of the Sats and halted movement of his equipment to fool them. Have they changed the timing schedules and gone to RANDOM searches? Thou shall NOT establish a pattern was a lesson that should have been learned after Pearl Harbor.

There's a problem: orbital mechanics make the patterns for you. Once you put the satellite into orbit, it falls around the Earth in a consistent pattern, the parameters of which (height above Earth, orbital inclination, et cetera) are easily observed by anyone with a good clock and a good telescope. Changing the ephemerides involves burning a LOT of fuel to generate the necessary velocity change (known as delta-vee).

[RoughDobermann]

et cetera

If I hear it pronounced ex cetera one more time....

[Poohbah]

et cetera

If I hear it pronounced ex cetera one more time....

You'll have to take some Excedrin? :o)

[rogue yam]

U2 flights go exactly where and when you want them to. Satellites are in a certain orbit and can only see what is beneath them and then only when they happen to be overhead. Also the instrumentation on a U2 can be better and is more versatile.

[rogue yam]

I'm feeling dumb here. Do we have a plane called the U2? I thought Gary Powers got shot down in one of those 40 years ago. Wasn't the U2 replaced by the SR-71? Are those still flying?

The SR71 came after the U2 but we never stopped using U2s. I believe we have retired the SR71. Too expensive and only really useful to spy on the Soviets as they were the only ones who could hit a U2. Also, we have more satellites now.

[RoughDobermann]

Nope, way beyond that. My head will, quite simply, etplode!

[blam]

Aurora?

[1stFreedom]

Aurora was the name of some program accidentially left in a congressional budget report/request. It was located on the lines below SR-71 and U2 lines.

Supposedly it's a hypersonic aircraft. It may be reponsible for chain contrails seen over various locations.
I don't believe it exists as a production aircraft. I believe it's simply a test aircraft.

The SR-71 was retired because of the cost of each mission as well as the fact that the russian SAM and aircraft were increasingly getting better. The SU-27, with it's onboard Infrared tracking system, can spot and trace the SR-71. While the Su-27 cannot keep up with a SR-71, various air to air missiles may be able to catch up to one. It may be a very hard chase and the SR-71 has an excellent chance of outrunning missiles, but at this point why take the chance?

I think the SR-71 was retired UNDEFEATED with the knowledge that missile technology had finnally caught up with this king of the sky. I believe it was thought that sattelites could fill the void -- and to a large degree they have.

As for why they are using a U2, it's cheap, can easily adapt to special instruments, and doesn't require astronaughts to fly it (SR-71 pilots wear astronaught suits. Not sure of their training).

I love the SR-71, and I hope I'm wrong about Aurora.

[New Horizon]

Uh, no.

They will pray and then Allah will send a "great flock of birds to smite the infidels."

That was an actual quote from one of these nutbags in Afghanistan a while back. It's about all the defense they have.

[Capt. Tom]

Looks like a Guppy giving birth. - Tom

[magellan]

This is a part of the inspections regieme as per UN resolution.So Sadamm is not complying. That is a breach isnt it?

Yes, certain U2 flights are specified under one of the U.N. resolutions to ensure compliance with the resolutions associated with the Desert Storm cease fire.

Disallowing these flights would be a breach of the cease fire agreement and a violation of the U.N. resolution.