Militaria Post

This is another consolidated military interest post to save on spamming the site with many different posts on the subject.

First off, let's drone on about the Marines:

Science advisors to the Marine Corps brigade deployed to western Iraq are eyeing a concept for a new flying drone armed with lethal and non-lethal weapons to help disrupt insurgent cells with sudden airborne attacks.

Such a drone would “take the fight to anti-Iraqi forces in areas where they currently perceive sanctuary,” according to a briefing provided by one advisor, who requested anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the press.

The concept is to take an existing “Tier II” medium-size drone in the vein of the 10-foot-wingspan Boeing/InSitu Scan Eagle, and fit it with two 40-millimeter grenade launchers, two green-laser dazzlers and a focused sound device similar to the Long-Range Acoustic Device manufactured by American Technology Corporation. This suite would give Marine operators “escalation of force options,” according to the briefing.

In other words, the drone would be able to first warn off suspected insurgents by beaming a verbal message in Arabic. If the suspects don’t disperse, the drone can dial up the intensity of its sound broadcast, causing pain and disorientation. If that doesn’t work, there are the laser dazzlers, which can cause temporary blindness from up to a mile away. If, after all of this, the suspects are still behaving threateningly, the drone can fire its grenade launchers.

From War is Boring and something a follow-up from Ares:

A high-performance, armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle tops the wish lists of Marine Corps officers deployed to western Iraq. But urgent requests for the drones have become mired in a long-delayed program to procure new “Tier II” UAVs as part of the Marine Corps’ overarching future airborne surveillance architecture.

The Navy is also expected to announce the winner of the UCAS-D competition today. This would be the first unmanned combat aircraft for American carriers. In other Navy related news, Arms Control Wonk has a post up about just how useful is that new Chinese Boomer.



Finally, Danger Room has a blistering post - argee with it or not - about the Bush Administration plans for BMD in Europe.