Game of Drones: Center for a New American Security Wargame Report
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Game of Drones: Center for a New American Security Wargame Report
Entry Excerpt:
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Read the full post and make any comments at the SWJ Blog.
This forum is a feed only and is closed to user comments.
Prompted by the deaths in Kurdistan from an ISIS booby-trapped drone two reviews of where the world is with flying IEDs.
First the BBC:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-37638982 and then WoTR, which notes:Link:http://warontherocks.com/2016/10/fly...xt-big-threat/..almost 10 percent of U.S. defense research and development funds goes into such systems which range from jamming rifles to lasers to other drones.
Last edited by davidbfpo; 10-13-2016 at 03:31 PM. Reason: 104,937v
davidbfpo
A must read on WoTR:http://warontherocks.com/2016/10/the...and-the-drone/
The author T.X. Hammes ends with:A contrary view (the next day):http://warontherocks.com/2016/10/why...arely-started/As they become pervasive, we can expect to see insurgents and terrorists use them very creatively. It is essential we make use of the very short time available to develop defenses against these systems.
Last edited by davidbfpo; 10-19-2016 at 01:03 PM. Reason: Add 2nd link. 105,719v
davidbfpo
Saving Lives in Rwanda, With US-made Drones
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Post 320 refers to the new film on drones, 'Eye in the Sky'and I watched it recently on Netflix. It was excellent in illustrating the dilemmas the operators and commanders face. One SME did comment that the small "fly" drone was not possible, citing the constraints of battery size. Given the focus on hi-tech tools and weapons the role of HUMINT was crucial.
davidbfpo
A short report on drones over Africa:https://sustainablesecurity.org/2016...ion-in-africa/
Despite the shamble state of African drones, it is only a matter of time before they do become widespread and used effectively by African governments.
Last edited by davidbfpo; 11-01-2016 at 07:38 PM. Reason: 114,043v
davidbfpo
http://www.popsci.com/china-sharp-sw...src=SOC&dom=fbInitially, it's believed that the Sharp Sword will be used for reconnaissance in areas with dense air defense networks, as well as tailing foreign warships. As the Chinese develops a familiarity with the Sharp Sword, it could be used for combat operations as a "first through the door" weapon against highly defended, high-value targets, as well as an aerial tanker for other drones and carrier aircraft (akin to plans for the U.S. MQ-25). There is even the possibility of carrier version for China's planned next generation of catapult equipped aircraft carriers.
Last edited by AdamG; 01-20-2017 at 02:47 PM. Reason: Yes, I triple-tapped this article. Relevancy x 3.
A scrimmage in a Border Station
A canter down some dark defile
Two thousand pounds of education
Drops to a ten-rupee jezail
http://i.imgur.com/IPT1uLH.jpg
US-Supplied Drones Disappoint Ukraine On Front Lines
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ISIL & Drones: Understand the Network to Defeat the Network
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The Evolution of Punishment: Drones, High-Value Targeting, and the Neurobiology of Mechanical Justice
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Thanks to a WoTR article which looks at the tactical use of drones for the USMC I don't recall a discussion on this theme. Within Opsec rules.
The WoTR article opens with:Link:https://warontherocks.com/2017/07/la...y-exploration/The mass production of inexpensive commercial drones has revolutionized the entertainment industry, but the true innovators of this field are found within the ranks of the Islamic State. Weaponized quadcopters, fixed-wing drones that drop explosives, and unmanned systems that serve as aerial scouts or spotters are a real and present threat to U.S. forces.
(Later) The conclusions are that distributed infantry units should each have dedicated and near-constant overhead coverage that can meet a wide range of intelligence, communications, and fire support needs — something only the Reaper can currently accomplish.
From my armchair and not wishing to treat this as a USMC-only issue my question is: Can Western armies fight 'small wars' without capable drones?
Last edited by davidbfpo; 10-20-2017 at 09:54 AM. Reason: Edited before merging into main thread. 1 of 4 posts that were in a stand-alone thread with 4k views.
davidbfpo
There might be a clue to the USA response to drone defense in some previous posts: http://hacking4defense.stanford.edu/
Last edited by davidbfpo; 10-20-2017 at 09:54 AM. Reason: 2 of 4 posts that were in a stand-alone thread
I think the real issues we should be looking at are the massive societal, cultural, and religious changes happening across the globe at an accelerated pace due to variables such as the internet and mass immigration.
Just as the printing press had a massive impact on medieval Europe, resulting in centuries of bloody wars, both interstate, revolutionary, and civil until leading to the relative peace of the last 7 decades in Europe, so too our we now witnessing similar issues play out on a more global scale.
With the mass proliferation of commercially available technologies such as 'drones', additive manufacturing, and access to knowledge through mediums such as YouTube, we will continue to chase our proverbial tails if we focus on the technologies will ignoring the stuff that makes us human.
Long story short, I think we are in for a couple of really bloody centuries until there is a massive change such as the 'Enlightenment' period of Europe.
Last edited by davidbfpo; 10-20-2017 at 09:55 AM. Reason: 3 of 4 posts that were in a stand-alone thread
The West has a long history of fighting small wars without drones. Just to be provocative, I propose that the West could perhaps fight small wars more effectively without drones, because it would force us to develop a strategic approach beyond our excessive focus (and in some cases sole focus)on targeting individuals. Of course in reality, targeting is a key element in any war, and I don't suggest we throw the baby out with the bathwater, but we need to subordinate targeting to the larger strategy. In some cases, targeting will be a main effort, and drones will appropriately play a key role, but I think we tend to default to targeting before we really think through the problem and what we want to accomplish.
Last edited by davidbfpo; 10-20-2017 at 09:55 AM. Reason: 4 of 4 posts that were in a stand-alone thread
Trump’s Special Ops Pick Says Terror Drones Might Soon Reach the US from Africa. How Worried Should We Be?
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This week marks the tenth anniversary of the RAF using drones, known as Reaper and Birmingham University's ICCS & Oxford Research Group's Remote Control Project - with a wide range of opinions present. A full transcript of the presentations will appear soon.
There is a three year old report by ICCS on drones:https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/schools...ct-drones.aspx
A couple of snippets: Peter Lee, a teacher @ RAF Cranwell, was a RAF Chaplain for seven years and is writing a book on RAF Reaper operations, including sitting with the operators. The book is due out next year.
One speaker referred to the USA seeking to change the Missile Technology Control Regime agreement, to enable commercial sales. See:https://www.reuters.com/article/us-t...-idUSKBN1CG0F4
Thanks to a "lurker" for the pointer to this Lawfare article:https://www.lawfareblog.com/united-k...lication-0-302
Last edited by davidbfpo; 10-20-2017 at 10:58 AM.
davidbfpo
Mentioned at the B'ham conference was the emergence the story that drone technology depended on a small group of individuals, especially Neal Blue who for US$2m acquired the designer's company. Short story from a critical blogsite:Link:https://www.alternet.org/investigati...y-strange-pastThe Predator drone was actually created by Israeli named Abroham Karem, who had helped design Israel's first drones for use in the Yom Kippur war. In the 1980s, Karem moved to Orange County and set up a small shop with DARPA funding to replicate and improve the technology here.His company was called Leading Systems, and had already developed a working Predator drone prototype that was cheaper and more reliable than what good ol' boy defense companies like Lockheed Martin could crank out. Karem made an elegant and efficient product it, but it wasn't getting much love in the DoD.
It needed a power-salesman and a lot of money to grease the procurement process. And that's what the Blue brothers, and their man Cassidy, brought to the table.
Last edited by davidbfpo; 10-20-2017 at 10:25 AM. Reason: 169,398v
davidbfpo
I'm not surprised by this connection, given how 'drones' were part of a large package which was created by Israel after it was forced to think and act laterally after the bloody face it's airforce was given under Zugzwang in 1973.
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The rather cheap and low level drones are of course a different story with different implications. They have already penetrated the civil society and are increasingly used here in the Alps by firefighters, mountain rescue teams, wildlife protection* (roe deer fawns) and many more and so forth.
The only big tech hardware problem for those applications remains the battery. Organisation, cooperation, training and laws are still a challenge in some areas. Canines have long been used by rescue services, law enforcement and hunters and arguably demand a lot more effort and training and can only work with their handler. The adoption of drones should overall be easier and cheaper.
ISIL certainly demostrated how much tech was available at a surprisingly low price and what could be done on a low budget. There is obviously still a lot of scope and room to explore.
Firn
*During haying. Can help to finance the common project.
Last edited by Firn; 01-07-2018 at 11:05 AM.
... "We need officers capable of following systematically the path of logical argument to its conclusion, with disciplined intellect, strong in character and nerve to execute what the intellect dictates"
General Ludwig Beck (1880-1944);
Speech at the Kriegsakademie, 1935
https://www.yahoo.com/news/russia-ca...010700010.htmlRussian military forces at the Hmeymim air base and the Tartus logistics center in Syria came under attack by what appears to have been a swarm of drones. Some thirteen small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) made the attack, six of which were diverted by Russian electronic warfare systems while seven additional aircraft were dispatched by Pantsir-S1 air defense batteries.
"During the hours of darkness Russian air defense facilities made clear 13 remoted unknown small-sized air targets approaching the Russian military assets,” the Russian Defense Ministry told the TASS news agency. “Ten combat UAVs were approaching Russia’s Hmeymim air base and three more - the logistics center of Tartus."
A scrimmage in a Border Station
A canter down some dark defile
Two thousand pounds of education
Drops to a ten-rupee jezail
http://i.imgur.com/IPT1uLH.jpg
No precedent thread found, so stand-alone for now.
While this is a great idea for an NGO, also seems like a good way to push fresh Combat LifeSaver Bags (or ammo boxes) up without risking one of your guys getting shot.
'Uber for blood': how Rwandan delivery robots are saving lives
https://www.theguardian.com/global-d...ng-blood-droneA Silicon Valley robotics company has teamed up with the Rwandan health ministry to hasten the delivery of vital medicines to hospitals in remote areas
Figuring someone else must have had the same thought, checked. Turns out it's called the Joint Tactical Aerial Resupply Vehicle (JTARV).
https://scout.com/military/warrior/A...tion-101456371Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert O. Work (center) asks questions about the Joint Tactical Aerial Resupply Vehicle, or JTARV, a rectangular-shaped quadcopter that currently carries up to 300 pounds of cargo. (Photo Credit: Jhi Scott, ARL Public Affairs)
“In a firefight, when a Soldier is running low on ammunition, resupply is critical,” said Sgt. 1st Class Daniel Guenther, an enlisted advisor at the laboratory. “I’ve had situations where speedballs were dropped off to me by helicopters.”
In the military context, a “speedball” refers to a bag of supplies, usually ammunition, dropped from a plane or helicopter to soldiers in the field.
“What are the implications of that?” asked Army researcher Tim Vong. “We’re working with users in the joint community to look at this concept.”
See also https://www.theverge.com/2017/1/18/1...ply-autonomous
How long are you Chinese guys going to wait before stealing this idea?
Last edited by davidbfpo; 10-29-2018 at 08:20 PM. Reason: Was in stand alone thread with 5932v till merged
A scrimmage in a Border Station
A canter down some dark defile
Two thousand pounds of education
Drops to a ten-rupee jezail
http://i.imgur.com/IPT1uLH.jpg
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