[quote=BBCNEWS]
The US military has confirmed the first strike by an unmanned Predator drone aircraft in Libya.
Nato said the drone destroyed a Libyan government multiple rocket launcher near Misrata at approximately 1100GMT.
Drones can hit military targets more easily in urban areas, minimising the risk of civilian casualties.
Earlier, Libya's government warned that tribes loyal to Col Muammar Gaddafi might take over the fight against the rebels in the western city of Misrata.
The deputy foreign minister said the Libyan army was being withdrawn and suggested that the tribes would not show the same level of restraint over civilian casualties.
But a rebel military spokesman in Benghazi said Col Gaddafi was "playing games" and would not allow his forces to leave Misrata.
Human rights groups say more than 1,000 people have died there.
Bunker
Several hours after the Pentagon's announcement confirming the Predator strike, Nato revealed that the target had been a "Gaddafi regime multiple rocket launcher (MRL) in the vicinity of Misrata".
"The MRL system had been used against civilians in Misrata," the alliance said in a statement.
Continue reading the main story
MQ-1B Predator
Wingspan: 14.8m (48.7ft)
Length: 8.2m (27ft)
Payload: 204kg (450lb)
Cruise speed: 135-217kph (84-135 mph)
Range: 1,240km (770 miles)
Weapons: Two Hellfire missiles
Military fact file: Drones
Predators have previously been used in Libya only for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
On Thursday, Defence Secretary Robert Gates said President Barack Obama had approved air strikes in support of the Nato-led mission because that was where the US had "some unique capabilities".
Gen James Cartwright, the vice-chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, said forces loyal to Col Gaddafi were digging in or "nestling up against crowded areas" to avoid being targeted by Nato warplanes.
The more precise Predators bring "their ability to get down lower and therefore, to be able to get better visibility, particularly on targets that have started to dig themselves into defensive positions," he added.
The BBC's Peter Biles in Benghazi says the first drone attack in Libya could mark the start of a new phase of Nato's air campaign.
It is certainly a further attempt to protect civilians who are under attack from Libyan government forces, our correspondent adds.
Early on Saturday, two missiles apparently fired by Nato aircraft struck a concrete bunker near Col Gaddafi's Bab al-Aziziya compound in Tripoli.
[/quote]
Source:
[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13176645[/url]
This whole conflict is turning into one huge mess.
[QUOTE=Boba_Fett;29398834]This whole conflict is turning into one huge mess.[/QUOTE]
It's either a mess without a dictatorship or a mess with a dictatorship, and only the former has any chance of a fair and free country
"Weapons: Two Hellfire missiles"
Surely that is wrong, it seems like a real waste of a drone if it can only destroy two targets before it has to fly back.
But anyway, with all this talk of them using drones as targets can be closer to friendly/civilian people than with planes I wonder one thing. How close is "closer"?
[QUOTE=Jsm;29399743]"Weapons: Two Hellfire missiles"
Surely that is wrong, it seems like a real waste of a drone if it can only destroy two targets before it has to fly back.
But anyway, with all this talk of them using drones as targets can be closer to friendly/civilian people than with planes I wonder one thing. How close is "closer"?[/QUOTE]
they can actually carry up to like 6 or so depending on the model.
they can also carry GBUs
[editline]24th April 2011[/editline]
and close is very close, hellfires are precision weapons, and they are primarily anti tank HEAT, not HE, or HEDP.
Nah, that is the MQ-9 Reaper.
The Predator is intended for observation. Early models weren't even armed.
The Reaper is the strike drone.
"predator missile, on the way"
[QUOTE=XanaToast.;29399875]"predator missile, on the way"[/QUOTE]
I never understood that, a predator missile would be a predator going batshit and just flying into the target kamikaze style.
Good, more action is being taken.
[QUOTE=GunFox;29399809]Nah, that is the MQ-9 Reaper.
The Predator is intended for observation. Early models weren't even armed.
The Reaper is the strike drone.[/QUOTE]
Ah, I just looked up pictures of both and it seems that I have been getting them confused for a while.
[QUOTE=Jsm;29401856]Ah, I just looked up pictures of both and it seems that I have been getting them confused for a while.[/QUOTE]
They look really similar the media often confuses them.
Because it's not like it's one design accomodated to serve two tasks. :rolleyes:
I have a feeling that Western troops will soon have their boots on the ground there.
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;29402212]Because it's not like it's one design accomodated to serve two tasks. :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]
It isn't. The MQ-9 and MQ-1 look similar in pictures, but they are significantly different in size and abilities.
[QUOTE=GunFox;29402376]It isn't. The MQ-9 and MQ-1 look similar in pictures, but they are significantly different in size and abilities.[/QUOTE]
Changing size is matter of resizing the parts and computing some extra properties of materials which have to be changed and which can be left. What I suppose also got changed is probably relatively stronger construction to support a heavier payload, possibly pick of different engine units, some additional or left out systems for communication and weapon manipulation...
The design still stays the same, is probably done by the same group of people, and is only edited and tuned for different purpose.
[QUOTE=archangel125;29402234]I have a feeling that Western troops will soon have their boots on the ground there.[/QUOTE]
If it gets much worse I think it could end up with the UN / NATO on the ground as "peacekeepers".
Or a whole new resolution so they don't have the restriction put in place by section 4.
[QUOTE=Awesomecaek;29403194]Changing size is matter of resizing the parts and computing some extra properties of materials which have to be changed and which can be left. What I suppose also got changed is probably relatively stronger construction to support a heavier payload, possibly pick of different engine units, some additional or left out systems for communication and weapon manipulation...
The design still stays the same, is probably done by the same group of people, and is only edited and tuned for different purpose.[/QUOTE]
It is roughly twice the size, three times as fast, and sports ten times the engine power output.
If you know anything about aerodynamics, you would know that these are two very different aircraft in practice.
Will there be a news article for every bullet fired?
there goes millions of taxpayers dollars!
[QUOTE=bull3tmagn3t;29404082]Will there be a news article for every bullet fired?[/QUOTE]
guided missiles aren't bullets
[QUOTE=ThePutty;29399135]It's either a mess without a dictatorship or a mess with a dictatorship, and only the former has any chance of a fair and free country[/QUOTE]I don't know... There are a lot of dictatorships out there and it would most likely mean the end of the world if we were going to fight to bring an end to every of those dictatorships. Internal revolutions and reforms are generally much better than invasions in terms of bringing down despots.
[QUOTE=archangel125;29402234]I have a feeling that Western troops will soon have their boots on the ground there.[/QUOTE]
ide hope not, unless that was ultimately needed. hopefully these airstrikes will be helpful enough to not need boots on the ground
[QUOTE=archangel125;29402234]I have a feeling that Western troops will soon have their boots on the ground there.[/QUOTE]
They might, if policymakers scream that air power aren't doing the magical "bloodless war" stuff incorrectly interpreted from past conflicts. Right now NATO is [i]hoping[/i] that the rebels will be able to go all the way to topple Gaddafi.
I would enjoy seeing the Global Hawk in all of this, but I'm happy with my F-15Es over there.
[QUOTE=JeffAndersen;29413031]I would enjoy seeing the Global Hawk in all of this, but I'm happy with my F-15Es over there.[/QUOTE]
Global hawks have been in use since day 1. They are based in Italy and have been using the callsign "FORTE" FMCNL on twitter has been tweeting about hearing them be mentioned on various radio frequencies since the start.
[url]http://twitter.com/#!/FMCNL/status/61165514369675264[/url]
God damn it, the US has enough on it's plate right now, mostly it's self.
Airstrikes only and let the French handle the ground stuff.
[QUOTE=wuzzimu;29413206]Airstrikes only and let the French handle the ground stuff.[/QUOTE]
I couldn't agree more. America promised to be no more than a "door breaker" to wipe out the most perilous threats to the rebels and clear a path for Britain and France to save the day. They have much more stock in Libya than we do, and there is very little reason for America to spearhead the operation when two other countries are just as capable, and just as willing, to take charge of it instead. As politically rude as it may sound: America needs to tend to its own needs for a couple of decades or so in order to rebuild its ailing economy and to bolster its infrastructure.
Lest we address the struggles within our walls, our meddling in the struggles without is at our own peril.
[QUOTE=GunFox;29402376]It isn't. The MQ-9 and MQ-1 look similar in pictures, but they are significantly different in size and abilities.[/QUOTE]
The biggest difference is the tail. The predator have it facing down, while the reaper have it facing up.
Instead of calling them Hellfire Missiles let's call them Humanitarian Capsules since this totally isn't a war no siree
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