Military drones grounded in Central New York following crash in Lake Ontario

[jakeXT]

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Officials at the 174th Attack Wing suspended all Reaper drone flights in Central New York Tuesday after one of the unmanned aircraft crashed into Lake Ontario about 12 miles from the eastern shore during a routine training flight.

A Coast Guard helicopter and search vessel were unable to recover the $4 million drone, which crashed about 1 p.m. Tuesday, and were forced to call off the search late in the afternoon because of bad weather, said Col. Greg Semmel, commander of the 174th Attack Wing of the Air National Guard.

Semmel said he did not know what caused the accident. A safety investigation board appointed by Air Force commanders based in Langley, Va., will investigate the incident. Semmel estimated the investigation could take a month or so to complete.

No decision has been made yet on when Reaper training flights will resume, Semmel said. He emphasized that the unmanned combat aircraft, which was introduced by manufacturer General Atomics in 2007, has a good safety record. Critics say the drones have a high rate of accidents.


http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2013/11/military_drone_flights_over_central_new_york_grounded_following_crash_in_lake_on.html

[Marcuslee11]

1. No decision

No decision has been made yet on when Reaper training flights will resume, Semmel said. He emphasized that the unmanned combat aircraft, which was introduced by manufacturer General Atomics in 2007, has a good safety record. Critics say the drones have a high rate of accidents.

[RC]

5. Much harder to hide malfunctions when flying drones in this country.

What with people speaking English and all.

[DJ13]

2. $4M?!

Have they considered using $500 model airplanes adding a couple thou in electronics?

[Scuba]

3. They did, but the MIC said that wouldn't be profitable enough.

[RC]

6. +100

By Jove, you've got it. That might be a clue on all the crashing too.

[jakeXT]

4. And then you got the stuff on the ground

The U.S. Air Force reports that four Reapers cost $56.5 million -- or about $14 million each -- including the necessary ground control station and satellite link.

[FarCenter]

11. $500 airplanes don't have a 7000 pound take-off weight

Or carry GBU-12 Paveway II laser guided bombs.

[DJ13]

12. ........Or carry GBU-12 Paveway II laser guided bombs.

Well, I was thinking specifically of drones used over the US, where I would hope the PTB dont see a need for something like that!

[FarCenter]

13. Well this was a training flight that went down.

They may carry training versions of the bombs, missiles, and other non-lethal cargo.

[Jackpine Radical]

7. The Canadians probly shot it down.

[u4ic]

14. I think that windbag Rob Ford

blew it down with all his bluster today.

[Jackpine Radical]

15. Nah. No way. He gets his drug deliveries from the States by drone.

[Oakenshield]

8. Unable to recover it?

A plane crashes in our own backyard and we can't even recover it. Tell me that isn't pathetic.

[jakeXT]

9. U.S. Air Force asked to help in missing drone search

The New York Air National Guard asked the U.S. Air Force on Wednesday for help in finding a multimillion-dollar military drone that crashed into Lake Ontario a day earlier.

The Syracuse-based 174th Attack Wing asked the Air Force to send an HC-130 search aircraft to look for the missing MQ-9 Reaper, according to Eric Durr, a spokesman for the New York state Division of Military and Naval Affairs, based in suburban Albany.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/u-s-air-force-asked-to-help-in-missing-drone-search-1.2425570

[Oakenshield]

10. Encouraging.

Except for the pricetag below. One of these planes cost somewhere between TEN or TWELVE million? Raise taxes on the 1% definitely, but this military spending needs to be trimmed with a chainsaw.