[bootlegga]

$1:

It appears that Canada is getting involved in the drone arms race.

According to a report in the Ottawa Citizen, the Harper government recently approved a military 'request to aerospace firms' to provide details about the types of drones now available in the marketplace.

The 'request' pointed out the need for the unmanned aircraft to operate in the Arctic. The aircraft should also be able to carry precision-guided munitions, the government said.

"This capability will allow the CF [Canadian Forces] to fill critical deficiencies," industry officials were told in the request for information sent to them July 23.

According to DND documents, the military intends to spend around $1 billion on the project.

The development and deployment of armed drones has become a sensitive subject around the world, primarily because of the way the Americans have used them for cross-border raids on Taliban and al-Qaida suspects in Pakistan. Their use has provoked concern that many civilians have been caught during these air strikes.

[ Related: U.S, British criticism of Canada's military efforts in Afghanistan 'wrong' ]

In a column last month for the Financial Times, former Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff argued that more drones could lead to more wars.

"Virtual technologies make it easier for democracies to wage war because they eliminate the risk of blood sacrifice that once forced democratic peoples to be prudent," Ignatieff wrote.

"Now democracies do not even have to put their pilots in harm's way. Cyberwar and drones offer Nato democracies enticing prospects of cheap, risk-free warfare — and not just democracies. A new arms race is already under way."

50 countries, including Canada, have used unarmed drones in military conflicts or for routine surveillance.

The United States was the first country to use an armed version of the unmanned aircraft during the NATO Kosovo campaign in 1999. Since then they've been used in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen, Libya and Pakistan.

In addition to Canada, Germany, Korea, Russia and China have also shown interest in developing an armed drone program.

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/blogs/canada-p ... 29244.html

About time...and how about ordering some TALONs and/or MULEs while we're at it!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foster-Miller_TALON

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XM1219_Arm ... ic_Vehicle

[DrCaleb]

F- the TALON. We need Mr. Psycho and Sir Killalot.

[Dr Caleb]

Way to kill a thread, hoser.

[DrCaleb]

Dr Caleb Dr Caleb:

Way to kill a thread, hoser.

Oh, and you dis me with that homely Avatar?

[Dr Caleb]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Dr Caleb Dr Caleb:

Way to kill a thread, hoser.

Oh, and you dis me with that homely Avatar?

Do you kiss your mother with that ad hominem?

[DrCaleb]

Dr Caleb Dr Caleb:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Oh, and you dis me with that homely Avatar?

Do you kiss your mother with that ad hominem?

No, I kiss your mother with it.

[Dr Caleb]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Dr Caleb Dr Caleb:

Do you kiss your mother with that ad hominem?

No, I kiss your mother with it.

Like kissing an ashtray, eh.

[DrCaleb]

Dr Caleb Dr Caleb:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

No, I kiss your mother with it.

Like kissing an ashtray, eh.

Touche. I guess cremation does that.

[Wada]

[Dr Caleb]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Dr Caleb Dr Caleb:

Like kissing an ashtray, eh.

Touche. I guess cremation does that.

Go away! The mods will see we have multiple accounts!

[DrCaleb]

Dr Caleb Dr Caleb:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Touche. I guess cremation does that.

Go away! The mods will see we have multiple accounts!

Shut up! You have two accounts. I just have the one. Hmph.

[Shadow_Flanker]

Recce and armed drones would be really good for arctic and over ocean patrols. In a ground support situation they would be invaluable thanks to their very long loiter times. A Reaper fully loaded with weapons can loiter for 12hrs, put a pair of external fuel tanks and it can loiter for almost 48hrs.

[CDN_PATRIOT]

An excellent idea. Let's get these things up there as fast as we can.



-J.

[Thanos]

Yeah, this is a good idea. I just hope we don't end up paying 50% above the agreed price because some desk-jockies at DOD decide that we have to upgrade them to Canadian kit "standards" like they do with other aircraft and armoured vehicles. If the Yanks can use them in Alaskan cold-weather conditions there's no reason for us to have to gold-plate them to work in the Arctic.

[PluggyRug]

Thanos Thanos:

Yeah, this is a good idea. I just hope we don't end up paying 50% above the agreed price because some desk-jockies at DOD decide that we have to upgrade them to Canadian kit "standards" like they do with other aircraft and armoured vehicles. If the Yanks can use them in Alaskan cold-weather conditions there's no reason for us to have to gold-plate them to work in the Arctic.

Why not gold plated, a few strikes will spark another gold rush.