I never write about work, mostly because I’m not allowed to. But I thought this was worth sharing (and it’s not classified, so I can share it).
From an email I received at work today (this is what we do — tactical data link systems and tactical command and control systems):
A picture of the Global Hawk UAV that returned from Iraq on Monday under its own power. ( Iraq to Edwards AFB in CA) — Not transported via C5 or C17. Notice the mission paintings on the fuselage. It’s actually over 250 missions. That’s a long way for a remotely-piloted aircraft.
Think of the technology (and the required quality of the data link to fly it remotely). Not only that, but the pilot controlled it from a nice warm control panel at Edwards AFB. It has really long legs — it can stay up for almost 2 days at altitudes above 60k. Most people have no idea what stealth brings to the battle. Basically, they come into the fight at a high mach thrust, start killing bad guys way out with AMRAAMS, and continue doing that until everyone is dead, and no one ever sees them or paints them on radar.
There is practically no radio chatter because all the guys in the flight are tied together electronically at Edwards AFB, and can see who is targeting who, and they have AWACS direct input and 360-situational awareness from that and other sensors. **
**Remember that when Global Hawk is on a killing mission in Iraq or Afghanistan, the “pilot” is sitting at a console at Edwards AFB in CA.**
Here’s the Global Hawk fact sheet.
It’s an amazing sense of accomplishment and pride to see the stuff you’ve been working on day-in and day-out put to the test under real combat conditions.
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With this kind of technology (and much, much, more), we cannot lose the war in Iraq militarily, as Sen. Harry Reid has suggested we already have. Our enemy simply doesn’t have the technology, the training, the weapons, the firepower, or the manpower to defeat us. The only way for us to lose this war is to lose our will to win — which the Democrats already have (which assumes that they ever had any will to win, which I doubt).
To admit defeat against this enemy is simply to admit that you don’t have the will or desire to win.
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we cannot lose the war in Iraq militarily, as Sen. Harry Reid has suggested we already have.
The point is- as General Petraeus and the Iraq Study Group say- is that the war cannot be won militarily: it is a civil conflict that demands a political resolution.
It appears that Mitt Romney has conceded defeat against the enemy that actually attacked us on September 11:
I can’t imagine the response if any Democrat said that we weren’t continuing our search for and fight against Osama bin Laden.
Hate to break it to ya Robbie, but we’re not fighting an army, a nation, or an ethncity in Iraq and elsewhere around the world, we’re fighting against ideas and beliefs, and those are things that never die.
Do people like you really believe that you can “win” a “war on terror”? Do you really think one day we’ll sit back and say “whoo! awesome, EVERY SINGLE PERSON WHO EVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH AMERICA AND WANTS TO ATTACK US IS GONE”, because if you do, you’re sadly deluded.
John — I understand that better than many. I fought in the first Gulf War; I know what the face of terrorism looks like up close and personal.
Do “people like you” think that we should just give up and not fight the war on terror? Do you think that — since it’s such a difficult and non-conventional war we’re engaged in — that we shouldn’t even fight it.
The only alternative is dhimmitude. It’s the only option or “negotiation” or Islamic enemies would be open to.
There are many fronts on this battle. Not all of them being fought militarily. And it’s a war that’s been going on for a long time, and will be fought for a long time to come.
Personally, I’m not ready to submit to Islam. Are you?
There are some facts and some falacies in your blog post – facts: the RQ-4A Global Hawk is indead remotely piloted and returned under it’s own power from the Middle East. Partial fact: Edwards AFB crews controlled the airplane – True fact: during part of the return flight pilots on the ground at Edwards AFB were in control, but during 9/10s of the return flight and for 100% of operational missions pilots on the ground at Beale AFB are in control. Total fallacy: the Global Hawk carries NO offensive ordinance…no AMRAAMs, no lasers, nothing sexier than a great camera system. Do a little Googling and you’ll find plenty of discussions about RQ-4 capabilities.
A link to Northrop Grumman’s unmanned systems website
Video of the arrival of the aircraft described in the blog
amazing