DEATH FROM ABOVE …
Not since the “infamous” El Guapo fretted “amigos falling from the sky” in the 1986 comedy classic Three Amigos has the threat of imminent death from above been so pervasive … and it’s only going to get worse.
According to The Washington Post, the U.S. Department of Defense is planning to ramp up its already ramped up use of aerial drones over the “homeland” in the coming years.
“The military has almost tripled the number of hours its drones have flown annually in shared U.S. airspace since 2011,” the paper reports, adding that “thanks in part to a new federal law that will open the national airspace to drones of all kinds, the Pentagon is planning to operate thousands of drones from at least 110 bases in 39 states, plus Guam and Puerto Rico, by 2017.”
And obviously that doesn’t include the drones already being used by local and state-level law enforcement …
The focus of the Post piece? The dangers posed by accidental drone crashes – like the one that nearly took out Lickdale Elementary School in Jonesville, Pennsylvania in April.
That’s a legitimate concern, but we’re much more worried about our government operating an exponentially expanding fleet of weaponized surveillance aircraft in the skies over our heads.
You know, the sort of death from above that comes on purpose …
Especially since just this week the administration of Barack Obama – under orders from an appeals court – released a secret U.S. Department of Justice memo outlining its justification for using drones to take out American citizens who allegedly pose “an imminent threat of violent attack against the United States.”
Cue R.E.M. …
15 comments
Guam?
What they gonna watch, whales?
Prepositioning the drones in Guam gets you relatively fast access to all of the western Pacific rim. The Global Hawk has a theoretical range of 8,500 miles, from Guam that allows you to see anything China, Russia or India might be up to – the SR-71 used to spend a little time there as well.
Didn’t know they had that kind of range.
Saw the Black Bird one time in fall of ’80, had to divert due to problems, couldn’t make it back to Kadena.
I say I saw it, the SP’s surrounded it with vecihles and got it into the only enclosed hangar on the base ASAP.
Drone Operator: “Pew, pew pew pew….die you fuckers!”
His CO: “Great job Poindexter! You are a true warrior and you are serving your nation well!”
Drone Operator: “So when do I get my gold medal?”
His CO: “Son, this isn’t a video game, you don’t get a gold medal at the end of each round. But you are going to get a purple heart for the repetitive use wrist injury after I submit the paperwork.”
Drone Operator: “Cool. Also sir, I could increase my effectiveness with an increase of our Cheeto and Mountain Dew supply sir.”
His CO: ” Sure thing son, taxpayer money well spent. I’ll put in a req.”
Actually, you are not far from the truth.
USAF drone operators WERE going to get a medal but it got the “kabosh” ( and rightly so I might add)
IN the USAF, the Predator drones are “flown” by a rated pilot and the sensors are operated by an enlisted person – sometimes even an A1C (Airman First Class).
They used to have a weekly “show & tell” at the control trailer at an “undisclosed location” in the Big Sandy. I used to drop by and watch them bust on “haji’s” from time to time.
Surreal to say the least…………………
Why do we need to spend all that money paying pilots. I am pretty sure 16 year olds would be willing to fly those for free.
More song links with stories please.
Eventually, the camel jockeys are going to hit on EMP and jamming.
Yep,
At this point & time, you can shoot down drones pretty easy IF you have a good anti-aricraft system or a few jet fighters with decent radar.
Big Story Breaking: Lexington County Sheriff’s Department RAIDED!!!..
Read: http://scdigest.blogspot.com/2014/06/lexinton-county-sheriffs-office-raided.html
Yeah, I saw that earlier on WIS…
They copied SC Poli-D. Good work WIS….
Jeez!! I had no idea that some drones were that large.
Yeah, that’s a USAF “Global Hawk”
It can stay up a LONG damn time. I don’t recall them being armed, just for recon and intel gathering.
Seems like I read that they are being phased out
Now I know why Jakie Knotts was referred to as a ‘drone’ (behind his back, of course).