US Navy drones: Coming to a carrier near China

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

May 16, 7:31 AM EDT
US Navy drones: Coming to a carrier near China?
By ERIC TALMADGE
Associated Press

YOKOSUKA, Japan (AP) -- The U.S. is developing aircraft carrier-based drones that could provide a crucial edge as it tries to counter China's military rise.

American officials have been tightlipped about where the unmanned armed planes might be used, but a top Navy officer has told The Associated Press that some would likely be deployed in Asia.

"They will play an integral role in our future operations in this region," predicted Vice Adm. Scott Van Buskirk, commander of the U.S. 7th Fleet, which covers most of the Pacific and Indian oceans.

Land-based drones are in wide use in the war in Afghanistan, but sea-based versions will take several more years to develop. Northrop Grumman conducted a first-ever test flight - still on land - earlier this year.





Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_CHINA_US_MILITARY_RIVALRY_DRONES?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[provis99]

1. man. America always needs an enemy.

Life is incomplete in America until we have some rival country to hate.

[Kolesar]

2. Remember when the bushies flew a spy plane into Chinese airspace &they forced it to land in China?

China cut it into pieces and then let us come pick it up.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. As usual, there is much more to that story than you state

[Kolesar]

10. Wow. One whole sentence. Dont wrack your brain over this, Professor

[mahatmakanejeeves]

13. The assertion is subject to debate.

The assertion that "the bushies flew a spy plane into Chinese airspace" is subject to debate.

From another thread, last week:

Bin Laden Raid: Pakistan Hints China Wants Look at U.S. Stealth Copter Remains

Hainan Island incident

I'm not sure I'd say that "Bush let them have a spy plane."

The EP-3 was operating about 70 miles (110 km) away from the PRC island province of Hainan when it was intercepted by two J-8 fighters.
....

The EP-3 made an unauthorized emergency landing at Lingshui airfield, after at least 15 distress signals had gone unanswered, with the emergency code selected on the transponder. It landed at 170 knots (200 mph), with no flaps, no trim, and a damaged left elevator, weighing 108,000 pounds (49,000 kg). Following the collision, the failure of the nose cone had disabled the No. 3 (inner right) engine, and the No. 1 propeller could not be feathered, leading to increased drag on that side.
....

For 15 minutes after landing, the U.S. aircraft crew continued to destroy sensitive items and data on board the aircraft, as per Department of Defense protocol. They disembarked from the plane after soldiers looked through windows, pointed guns, and shouted through bullhorns. The Chinese offered them water and cigarettes. Kept under close guard, they were taken to a military barracks at Lingshui where they were interrogated for two nights before being moved to lodgings in Haikou, the provincial capital and largest city on the island. They were treated well in general, but were interrogated at all hours, and so suffered from lack of sleep.

[Kolesar]

14. You said that "Bush let them have a spy plane."

I didn't

[ProgressiveProfessor]

18. But your original assertion was false nonetheless

[Kolesar]

19. do you ever do anything besides sit in that chair?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

20. Quite a bit, I was wondering the same thing about you

[ProgressiveProfessor]

17. It is about all you are worth

Anyone who was following the issue at that time knew what you posted was tripe.

[Billy Burnett]

3. We've always been at war with Eastasia

[DeSwiss]

4. I wonder who will make the computer chips and parts.....

...for these aircraft carrier-based drones!?!?!

- Whoops!

K&R

[Heywood J]

5. This will send quite the message to China.

One which might ignite some sort of response, such as Chinese drones flying near the west coast.

[shoutinfreud]

11. Yeah, like the would actually fly.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

7. This story is about N-UCAS which is years from deployment

It is as much of a technology demonstration program as full scale production. One key challenge is unmanned carrier landings.

[boppers]

24. "unmanned carrier landings" are much easier when the cargo isn't a meatbag.

Meatbags can't take the same G's as machines. They also can't auto-correct as fast as machines.

This is the beginning of the end of manned flight as a weapons system.

[plumbob]

8. Let's see if we can provoke a country which built a wall to keep invaders

out. They're a formidable economic opponent, so we will do what we usually do when we're losing on the merits - shoot a bunch of innocent people.

It's the American way.

[shoutinfreud]

12. To be fair, it's also the Chinese way

[plumbob]

16. A recent example of Chinese soldiers/cruise missiles killing folks

in other countries, please?

[shoutinfreud]

21. You're right, they only slaughter their own

Either way, give it time.

[plumbob]

23. Give "it" time? What it? The it that the USA has become, looking for

a villain du jour so that the right military contractors can make billions in profits?

That it?

[shoutinfreud]

25. I mean give it time before China starts attacking smaller nations.

[melm00se]

9. of course

>>a top Navy officer has told The Associated Press that some would likely be deployed in Asia<<


There are 2 fleets in the Pacific (the 3rd and 7th, 1/3 of US fleets) so just the distribution of US naval fleet guarantees that.

[KeepItReal]

15. These drones sound like a smart counter to the Chinese Anti-ship missile threat

Extends the reconnaissance reach of the carrier group and minimizes its vulnerability to the new Chinese anti-carrier missile threat.

Only issue is that the carrier's aircraft may be out of range to conduct operations against any targets beneath that Chinese missile's range umbrella.

[defendandprotect]

22. The TRADE agreements paid for their "military rise" -- guess no one in government knew that???!!!

[Vidar]

26. Our leaders show no lack of "the stupid"