Iran shoots down US drone

[killadoob]

Iran has brought down a U.S. "spy drone" flying near its Fordo nuclear enrichment plant in Qom province, state-run media reported Wednesday.

The date of the incident has not been disclosed, and three U.S. officials said there was no indication or information that a U.S. drone was downed.

State-run Press TV reported the development, citing a Tuesday story from another website -- javanonline.ir.

Ali Aqazadeh Dafsari, an Iranian lawmaker, said air defense units of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps shot down the drone, Press TV reported, citing javanonline.ir

Dafsari, who is a member of parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said that the craft was on a mission to identify the plant's location and collect information about the facility for the CIA.

The development emerged as the Iranian government announced on Tuesday that it was installing a new generation of centrifuges in its nuclear facilities. The French Foreign Ministry called the development "a new wave of provocation" that flouts United Nations resolutions.

Iran's development of missile and nuclear fuel technology has led to U.N. sanctions and accusations from the United States that the clerical regime is trying to develop nuclear weapons.

Iran says it has a right to peaceful nuclear technology. The U.N. nuclear agency has said it cannot verify whether the intent of Tehran's nuclear program remains peaceful.

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/07/20/iran.drone/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

 

[Hard Rain]

Will be interesting to see how this develops.

 

[Albereth]

... said that the craft was on a mission to identify the plant's location and collect information about the facility for the CIA.

I am pretty sure the CIA has access to Google Earth, or are they blocked too?

 

[Jagtiger]

I am pretty sure the CIA has access to Google Earth, or are they blocked too?

1. They have agreement to "hide" sensitive information.
Was looking at some photos, if I recall, there were supposed to be miscellaneous military installations, but Google Earth had it scrambled.

2. Google Earth must be pretty outdated.
They need up-to-date information.

 

[(@) (@) twister]

Maybe it wasn't an US Drone, maybe it was an UFO...

 

[grok]

Google Earth? I'm sure the US can divert any one of their spy satellites for a hi-res scan if they wanted to.

 

[Jagtiger]

Google Earth? I'm sure the US can divert any one of their spy satellites for a hi-res scan if they wanted to.

Sure they can, but top view is not always useful. They cannot see side view or extreme detail. Also, everything can be masked by camouflage net.
I also suspect that spy satellites cannot be used just like that: they need to get permission/authorisation here, there and somewhere else; hence rising questions about point of use.

 

[Jola]

Israel also have drones ...

 

[Hard Rain]

They need very accurate recon if they're preparing a strike. Ideally having someone on the ground pointing a laser at the target and who can verify the target's destruction is most ideal. Perhaps they have drones that can do that now.

 

[genetic]

I am pretty sure the CIA has access to Google Earth, or are they blocked too?

I'm sure the CIA has access to spy satellites 100x better than google earth. Drones obviously give a "live" feed on the situation.

 

[marine1]

You realy believe that the spy sats cannot see angles and 3D? You really think they need a drone?

 

[Hard Rain]

You realy believe that the spy sats cannot see angles and 3D? You really think they need a drone?

If the Israelis are the ones who strike they'll only get one shot at it. Even if the duplictious Saudis let them use their airfields Iran is still a distant target and the planes will barely have enough fuel to make it back so they'll ideally need to be loaded quite light. In this case having as accurate intel as possible makes a lot of sense.

 

[The_Unbeliever]

Blackbird.

 

[Hard Rain]

Blackbird.

Decommissioned ages ago. Which makes me wonder what they have now? Auroras…

 

[Albereth]

I'm sure the CIA has access to spy satellites 100x better than google earth. Drones obviously give a "live" feed on the situation.

Yep, they do and those satellites give 'live' feed too. What they aren't too good at doing is picking up on the radiation from AA radar, or other surveillance or comms. Getting a drone into the space gives some intel on the defensive and detection capabilities of the opfor.

We've got a drone 'expert' around here somewhere - I'll ask him about the other uses, assuming it doesn't get him shot

 

[Palimino]

Getting a drone into the space gives some intel on the defensive and detection capabilities of the opfor.

That makes mega sense. A sort of ‘sacrificial drone’.

 

[Albereth]

That makes mega sense. A sort of ‘sacrificial drone’.

True - but I guess the real plan is to get in and gather intel without getting shot down.

 

[Hard Rain]

Or it's a false-flag op. Who really knows what the Israelis and the Pentagram are up to...

 

[Palimino]

True - but I guess the real plan is to get in and gather intel without getting shot down.

Ah-ha! But you monitor the ‘sacrificial drone’ with another drone or by satellite. By doing this you **are** ‘gathering intel’ – state and effectiveness of defense networks.

 

[Lounger]

It probably just focuses attention on Iran, which is the intent.