# USAF set to deploy first drone attack squadron **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 15, 2007, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usaf-set-to-deploy-first-drone-attack-squadron/411889 "2007-07-15T21:27:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usaf-set-to-deploy-first-drone-attack-squadron/411889/1 "2007-07-15T21:27:40Z")
[AP story here.](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070715/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_air_surge_ii_1;_ylt=ArOgWNcYR.Zda.5aEpx77sEE1vAI) The plane is called the Reaper. They will probably be based in Afghanistan and/or Iraq, but piloted from the continental US. It can carry as many as 14 Hellfire missiles. [A couple of pictures here.](http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/attack-of-the-hunter+killer-grim-reaper-robots-232880.php)They say it’s about the some size as an A-10. They must have very high confidence that these things can’t be jammed – at least by guys with AKs and IEDs in huts. ---
**Author:** ![Spit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/76d3ee/32.png) [@Spit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spit)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usaf-set-to-deploy-first-drone-attack-squadron/411889/2 "2007-07-15T22:01:08Z")
“…and that, son, was how SKYNET began.” ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usaf-set-to-deploy-first-drone-attack-squadron/411889/3 "2007-07-15T22:45:21Z")
The capability has been around for years, but it’s just now that they’re dedicating an entire squadron’s mission to the Predator/Reaper capability. As a matter of fact, the [119th out of Fargo, ND](http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123059493) is converting over to the Predator capability as well. Tripler Yup, this is how SkyNET gets it’s feet on the ground. I for one welcome our new sentient, Hellfire-armed overlords. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usaf-set-to-deploy-first-drone-attack-squadron/411889/4 "2007-07-15T23:38:19Z")
[QUOTE=Tripler] …I for one welcome our new sentient, Hellfire-armed overlords. [/QUOTE] Yknow, there’s a human at the controls on these things. It’s not a robot, it’s an RC plane. > [@Boyo Jim](#): > > …They must have very high confidence that these things can’t be jammed – at least by guys with AKs and IEDs in huts. A Stinger Missile launcher would work with the [right ammo](http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f295/bedgyro/JamMissile.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usaf-set-to-deploy-first-drone-attack-squadron/411889/5 "2007-07-16T02:48:02Z")
The BOC logo on the plane in the gizmodo link looks photoshopped to me. ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usaf-set-to-deploy-first-drone-attack-squadron/411889/6 "2007-07-16T21:37:50Z")
[QUOTE=Boyo Jim] They must have very high confidence that these things can’t be jammed… [/QUOTE] They have a “fly home” mode built in, should they lose communications. IOW, if you can’t call to it, it still comes home like a well-trained dog. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usaf-set-to-deploy-first-drone-attack-squadron/411889/7 "2007-07-16T22:23:50Z")
[QUOTE=blondebear] The BOC logo on the plane in the gizmodo link looks photoshopped to me. [/QUOTE] I thought it looked a little cheesy too. Still, a nice touch.