Yep same paper. There was controversy in its late release to the House of Commons Library with the MOD pulling it at last moment but eventually found its way there few months later. Aberporth is interesting, the old Javelin target system used to be flown there with radars dotted around the coast. Was there 3 months ago, lots of new buildings and a civilian estate. Qinetiq of course heavily involved. BAE working on own systems for future and the swarm theory is big in their mind. Benbecula used for some of the flight testing. The comms links between launch, Int gathering and operations and the number of folk involved is indeed fascinating...A preverbial army of folk involved.
Sky News has learnt that for the first time, RAF pilots have operated drone missions over Afghanistan from British soil. The missions were flown by members of XIII Squadron, based at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire. Up until this week, all such missions in the Afghan conflict had been conducted at Creech air force base in Nevada. The UK currently has five Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) - also known as remotely piloted air systems (RPAS). http://news.sky.com/story/1083059/armed-raf-afghan-drones-now-flown-from-uk
good day peter clare.yesterday.08:06pm.re:armed drones.its great to think no pilot is at risk.i suppose it would be better if nobody was at risk.but that's another post.just in passing I note the drone shown on your link,the mq-(reaper)I was on a minni aircraft carrier,ww2,called the h.m.s,reaper.a cace of recycled names.a great post.its something new to most of us,thank you for posting,bernard85
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22323669#TWEET736573 Armed drone aircraft have been operated remotely from Britain for the first time, the Ministry of Defence has said. It said Reaper drones had flown missions controlled from RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, where campaign groups are holding a protest rally against the practice.
I would have thought that this type of operation would fall into the "Need To Know" Category and there are a lot of people who do not need to know so why make this public?
Now something for the hate brigade...and the bomb em...It was myself and ex partner that provided and transported the caravan up to the peace campaigner. The RAF and the police were in full agreement of the camp. And in fact encouraged it. The Mod wanted a debate and wanted it out there. The caravan the lady stays in is on RAF land, the old bomb dump, or nuclear weapons staging area near the fire school. It is probably the only RAF sponsored peace camp ever...There with their permission and their acceptance.
the old lady's poster is brilliant!! it's nice aand to the point! you know exactly where she stands!! why? all aircrew wear their bloody onesies all the time!! pilots, navs, Sgt aircrew all of them.
I'm not sure why the old lady's poster is brilliant. Factually incorrect, perhaps. Not brilliant. Roxy
Yep, I had and have a problem with that poster. She though lumps all the drones together...The CIA drones are talked on no differently by the Sceptics even in Congress with similar words.
Not the greatest interperatation. It got a lot of attention though from the folk travelling past on the road off the airfield...Thus I supposed it suited the intention of the maker. The police evidence gathering team also took enough pictures of it. as·sas·sin (-ssn) n. 1. One who murders by surprise attack, especially one who carries out a plot to kill a prominent person. 2. Assassin A member of a secret order of Muslims who terrorized and killed Christian Crusaders and others.
The Isaac Asimov short story 'The Feeling of Power' comes to mind regarding the manned/unmanned/pilotless/remotely controlled aspect of current & future weapons.
I'll call your Asimov and raise you one http://www.gutenberg.org/files/29579/29579-h/29579-h.htm]"Watchbird"[/url]... My paranoia runs deep... :wink:
