RQ-170s Still Flying

RQ-170s Still Flying

www.strategypage.com

January 22, 2012: The U.S. Air Force recently announced that it knew what had caused one of its RQ-170 UAVs to crash in Iran two months ago. But the air force would not reveal details, except to say that Iran had nothing to do with the UAV crash landing. The air force did say that, because they had figured out what brought the RQ-170 down, they were continuing to fly RQ-170s on reconnaissance missions. The air force also revealed that the RQ-170 lost in Iran was being operated by the CIA.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Perhaps not-so-breaking as we are accustomed to, the latest in the matter the RQ-170 Drone lost in Iran is not yet over.....

As I have stated before on the ATS Live show, it was very unlikely that this aircraft was being operated by military forces... and it is now officially confirmed - the Drone was operated by the CIA. Many may think it makes little difference, but it's an important point considering the 'kind' of operational security failure this represents.

...on December 8th Iran displayed what appeared to be an American RQ-170, which they claimed had landed intact in Iran two weeks earlier. Iran claimed they had hijacked the control signals for the RQ-170 and landed it themselves. This seemed highly unlikely but not impossible. Experts on Iranian military technology immediately suspected something else.

The author(s) of the article in the OP make a significantly notable characterization, worthy of note:

...First, the Iranians are constantly lying about their military exploits, especially when it comes to developing new weapons and technology. This is apparently done mainly for domestic propaganda ...

When our enemies - or those we have chosen to represent 'enemies' - do it - it is called "lying" first and then "propaganda." When we do it, most inner circles refer to it as dissimulation, or counter-intelligence. Makes no difference to me, as I recognize the common reality behind it... but then... no nation can claim to be free from this kind of 'strategy.'

It appears that many experts and knowledgeable people suspected that something was amiss with the whole story.. let alone the notion that Iran had somehow managed the technical expertise to 'trick' or 'force' the aircraft to yield control to them.

For one thing, the RQ-170 shown was the right size and shape but the wrong color. Not just a different color from that seen on many photos of the RQ-170s in Afghanistan but also a color unknown in American military service. Then the Iranians apparently gave the UAV a new paint job (which was obvious to anyone seeing those photos.)

Perhaps the CIA painted it a different color... only they could explain why.

For one thing, the RQ-170 shown was the right size and shape but the wrong color. Not just a different color from that seen on many photos of the RQ-170s in Afghanistan but also a color unknown in American military service

So it did crash after all?

At the moment, the only things one can be sure of is that the American operators of the UAV lost the satellite signal connection with the RQ-170 and the aircraft eventually crashed. There was no indication of Iranians jamming the satellite signal. Iran has jammed satellite signals before, but only with wide area entertainment programming, not encrypted UAV control signals. Thus many mysteries remain but some have been cleared up because the Iranians could not resist creating a photo opportunity.

It appears that this mystery will remain 'unsolved' for some time. I'm sure a forensic analysis of the aircraft's avionics would illuminate the exact cause... but that may never happen in a way which will get back to us.

Ultimately the Air Force is maintaining it's posture of "no way" could the Iranians have had anything to do with it.... let's hope they are correct and not just covering up an embarrassing series of user errors and missteps by the operators.... who I wouldn't be surprised were probably a DHS/CIA-contracted (read politically connected) third-party company... engaged at the tax-payers' expense for their 'expertise.'


www.strategypage.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I just can't believe there is no self destruct command written into the code for those things when it loses it's signal. Having the enemy or whoever we are spying on getting their hands on that technology is absurd.

About the only thing I have ever agreed with Dick Cheney on was when he said we should have immediately ordered an airstrike on it to destroy it before the Iranians got their hands on it. Unless...."we" wanted them to have it for some reason.

Originally posted by Maxmars

It appears that this mystery will remain 'unsolved' for some time.

Forever, would be more accurate, and any information being released now is strictly intentional, targeted information.

reply to post by webpirate


The possibility that 'we wanted them to have it' has crossed my mind. But it seems a far-flung way to go about it. Why not just "sell" it to them via the black market? At least we would have gotten some money out of the ordeal.

But in time we will know more (I hope)

Sorry but...

I call "American Denial Syndrome" here

I mean, no one could possibly mess up a US weapon/recon system, could they?

Theres not a single person in the US military that is going to admit to losing something to the Iranians, so of course they're gonna make claims contrary to the Iranian story about it.

reply to post by neformore


I agree generally that it is posturing and denial... but I still believe that the most likely issue here was allowing an organization other than the military to have access to it. It was probably lost due to some level of human error...

...which is another thing they would never admit to.... unless they are indemnified from liability first.

These drones are designed to burn out their electrical compartments and glide down to the ground when they lose contact with home base. The drone likely had burn marks all over from the thermite flying all over the place.. hence the paint job.


PS. If Russia can't disrupt our drones signals, did anyone believe Iran could?

Originally posted by neformore

Theres not a single person in the US military that is going to admit to losing something to the Iranians, so of course they're gonna make claims contrary to the Iranian story about it.

And of course the Iranians are pillars of virtue, integrity and honesty, as opposed to the USA always being the opposite, right?

reply to post by Fractured.Facade


"We know where they [Iraq's WMD] are. They're in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south, and north somewhat...."

'nuff said.

reply to post by Maxmars


The only other thing I can think of...is we "let" them have it because it's false technology. We knew the first thing they'd do was to try to reverse engineer it. I think if I remeber correctly China also got in on examining it. Basically giving them something that doesn't work.

I know that's a stretch. Its more likely human error as you suggested. The other way assume the CIA has more intelligence than we give them credit for...lol

Originally posted by neformore
reply to post by Fractured.Facade

 

"We know where they [Iraq's WMD] are. They're in the area around Tikrit and Baghdad and east, west, south, and north somewhat...."

'nuff said.

Using the blatant fallacies that led this nation and its allies to war in Iraq is a good argument, but it would be a huge mistake to assume that Iran isn't a threat based on this alone.

No one here can possibly defend the war in Iraq when it was based on bogus and even fabricated evidence.

It's all irrelevant now IMO, whether Iran is the threat many believe or not, remains to be seen... In this case, we'll just have to wait and see... eh?

Think you'll be able to observe this one from a safe enough distance?

Originally posted by Maxmars
reply to post by neformore

 

I agree generally that it is posturing and denial... but I still believe that the most likely issue here was allowing an organization other than the military to have access to it. It was probably lost due to some level of human error...

...which is another thing they would never admit to.... unless they are indemnified from liability first.

You do realize that the CIA has been the main force behind reconnaissance flights since the U2 project, right? They are more than capable, in fact, most of the "spy" planes were designed to CIA specifications, and flown by discharged airforce pilots contracted by the CIA.

reply to post by steppenwolf86


I have had me share of exposure to this subject and am aware that the CIA figures prominently in the interface between the aircraft industry and the military, but in my day no one who wasn't in the service was allowed even close to the U2 or SR-71... ever (with one or two exceptions for 'glory' opportunities for politicians.)

But that was then, this is the DHS's "now" (perhaps the century of the 'contractor' and "paramilitary" entrepreneurs) .... I haven't confidence in them at all. In fact, few I am aware of do more than tolerate their presence in theater as an uncomfortable "political" necessity - since that's how they get and maintain their contracts in the first place.

Now as for working for General Dynamics, and Lockheed Martin or others; of course retired pilots are involved -

I don't know that it happens, but clandestine operational deployment of cutting edge military technology should not be casually handed to people who are by definition loyal to "their contract" as opposed to oath-sworn military personnel. But that's just my opinion.

Its like the old man keeps popping Viagra and says his tool is still working but in denial....

I am not sure why the USAF admitted it earlier that Iran had nothing to with this, which I have a hard time believing, USAF is just in denial.

On mention/speculation that we may have just let them have it, Trojan Horse comes to mind.

Did it ever REALLY lose signal? Where would the Iranian military take such a shiny new bauble?

Intentional loss of an irresistible (but worthless) prize could be the new black in recon?

reply to post by nineix


Trojan horse came to my mind too, but surely. Surely, the Iranian scientists are smart enough to run their code tests or whatever they did on closed systems. And I think it's too small to actually hide enough soldiers inside to invade. There is the possibility of...wow...I just thought of this...
The possibility of a virus. Not a computer virus. But a virus that could affect humans that could survive outside of it's host for long enough to get it to Iran.

Surely not?

Germ warfare was outlawed by the Geneva convention after WWI.

Surely we wouldn't stoop to human rights violations. Aren't we the world's champion of human rights? That last part was sarcasm.

reply to post by webpirate


The 'capture' of a high profile asset would be a nice prize that might wind up somewhere high profile assets get taken.
The Trojan could be something as insidious as you suggested, or, it could be something along the lines of a time delayed target acquisition, high frequency, short duration 'chirp' to paint a picture of the exact coordinates of where Iran likes to take it's most treasured prizes, lojack, of sorts.
Chirps could be scheduled so the machine looks dead, disabled, with no power, completely nonactive.
The true payload is small, hidden, innocuous, leaks no power, and only sends out a single burst chirp once a day for a few seconds so there's no chatter to track and block? It's speculation.

Where the drone is taken and being held could, however, offer intelligence simply because where ever it's taken and held, might also hold other valuable, sensitive, prizes, and the location might make a good target, if ever attitudes escalate to where targeting gets gotten 'round to.

If I want to know where they keep the diamonds, I send some tattle-tale diamonds.
If I want to know where they keep the best most highly specialized tech they got, i send them something that requires the use of their best, most highly specialized tech. aha. so, there you are!

The one that "got away" was a dcecoy. While Iran is "reverse engineering" it, it has already transmitted the data that was needed back to the US. Modern day Trojan Horse.

reply to post by princeofpeace


No evidence of that, your just making up stuff as usual.