I ran across this gem in the news- we have Predators patrolling the levees up around Fargo. I say good. My opinion is that disaster relief is and has always been on of the military's jobs (this is subject to debate of course), so naturally it follows that the latest hi tech toys should be considered for those missions. In this case it is a DHS, not DoD asset. It is also not a "first" since they did it last year along the Gulf Coast for hurricane season. Drone aircraft fighting the Red River flood http://www.startribune.com/local/41...c3E7_V_nDaycUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr Bonus- a drone patrolling a CONUS disaster frees up a winged aviator for an IA in the sandbox (I keed, I keed!)
Persistent ISR makes a lot of sense for military and DHS as well as forest fire spotting. Note: Press apparently hasn't caught up with the times, Drone has been replaced by Unmanned* Aerial Vehicles/Systems for some time now. *Uninhabited for the gender neutral crowd
CBP stood up its Preds for border surveillance a year or two ago. It does make a lot of sense; now here's hoping they've un-fucked the airspace/traffic issues that made flying around robots so much fun in the Sandbox.
Red River Flooding Just getting back from the Flood, using a Cell phone delio for internet right now, so stand by for pictures as soon as I get home. I will tell you this, It is insane the ammount of agricultural damage that has taken place up here. Luckily the vast majority of Urban areas (Grand Forks, Fargo) were protected as the levies held. It was the rural areas and roads that were hurt the most. I also saw a lot of Coast Guard out here. I know we have some on the forum, any one else on here spend a week or so in the Mid West? but as I said, pictures to follow
Nice to hear they got the kinks out. We tried but largely failed to use UAV's after Katrina because there weren't the procedures/rules/plans to use them yet, it was pretty frustrating. I am not sure it would have helped much in that particular situation but it got things moving so that we cam use UAV's and they have, the wildfires in Socal last year is another good example.
Little yes and a big no (mostly true). FAA wasn't ready to let UAVs operate with all many of VFR platforms in same airspace even though this occurs in OIF and OEF on a daily basis. As to little yes: after FAA kept saying no, one UAV operator on site awaiting clearance to fly carried their small UAV to the top of the tallest building they could access and operated the sensor from the roof. FAA fears realized over Afghanistan
This article came up today, regarding FAA's willingness to allow UAV use INCONUS. I completely agree that coordinating UAV use in congested airspace is a problem, having tried to do just that in Iraq. But I think the FAA's erring on the side of hyper-cautious. The quote from the Flight Standards guy (to the effect of, sure the military's comfortable using drones in Iraq, but they can't handle the airspace here!) shows that the FAA doesn't have a clue about how congested airspace gets in the sandbox. Watching Preds sail through the CAS stacks over Fallujah at the wrong altitude caused quite a few heart attacks. For that matter, don't the Preds and Global Hawks have a NACWS/TCAS-type system onboard? If not, why not?
River Rats Wow, back in the day (immediately post VN air war) I belonged to the River Rats Assn., still have the patch on my beloved "well worn" Navy flight jacket. Although formed by USAF F-4 & F-105 jocks; USN & USMC drivers who had flown the "Red River" area called Route Package 6 (the hairiest area in NVN: included Hanoi, Haiphong, Nam Dinh & the main MIG bases at Phuc Yen & Kep), were welcome to join. I attended one of the first RR reunions in Las Vegas, I think it was in 1976. What a blast it was! I drove down from Lemoore CA, in my '65 VW "BugHawk" all painted up in VA-127 livery With an actual A-4 chrome-plated tailhook & air-refueling probe installed (see attachment below). The reunion Landmark Hotel kindly allowed us to park it just outside adjacent to the main entrance for display over the weekend. The AF jocks had never seen a Squadron Mascot car (so common in Navy jet Sqdns.) & went bananas over the concept! In the wee hours of the first night (unbeknownst to us) a group of AF drivers physically carried the locked-up BugHawk into the entry foyer where it remained on display for the entire weekend, much to the amazement of thousands of civilian casino patrons (& hotel management). But they let it stay which was a good thing, as few attendees were fit for driving that weekend! Everyone wore flight suits & flight jackets all weekend & many fabulous interservice tales of "hairy missions" were swapped & enjoyed that weekend. It rivaled the Tailhook Reunions that I have attended over the years! * photo #1 In the high-speed refuel pits hooked up for (simulated) "hot refuel". * photo #2 Which one is the "real" 702! TINS!!! USN Scooter Driver
