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In just one example of how the US military is thinking outside the box and developing its own asymmetric responses to the growing threats posed by China, the U.S. Air Force is considering deploying large numbers of armed drones in shipping containers across small islands in the South Pacific. If pursued, this concept proposed by Pentagon contractor, Kratos Defense, could severely complicate China’s military calculations.
As Popular Mechanics reported, the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) being considered is the XQ-58A Valkyrie, a short takeoff drone with near jet fighter performance. At 30 feet long with a 27-foot wingspan, it has a top speed of almost Mach 1 and can carry up to two 250 pound GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs.
The XQ-58A doesn’t need a long runway for takeoffs and landings, instead, it’s launched from a short rail, using rocket boosters to get airborne. Once in the air, the drone’s turbofan engine takes over for the rest of the flight.
Probably the Valkyrie’s best feature is its 3,000 nautical-mile range. Popular Mechanics notes that Valkyries stored on the U.S. territory of Guam could easily reach Hong Kong, Shanghai, and even Beijing. Drones stored at secret locations even closer to China could range even deeper into the Chinese mainland. In case of war, the Air Force could launch, in short order, swarms of drones from the containers to overwhelm Chinese defenses.
It would take U.S. airmen a “very small number of hours,” according to a Kratos official quoted at Flightglobal, to prepare the drone for combat. The first step is to attach the wings (the drone can only be stored in a standard shipping container without its wings attached). The drone could then be armed with two GBU-39s, or even air-to-air missiles, prior to launch.
Within a fairly short period of time, scores or even hundreds of drones could be ready to fight. But the uncertainty created by this concept provides another important added value.
As General C.Q. Brown, recently nominated to be the next head of the Air Force, said in 2019, according to Popular Mechanics, “If a 20-foot container can actually contain some type of weapon system and I have 1,000 20-foot containers spread throughout the region, as an adversary, which one is the one that actually has the capability? Which one is just empty?”
Pursuing this novel concept would mean that in any future war Chinese military leaders would then need to worry not only fighting in the Pacific but also about protecting Chinese airspace from armed, long-range drones secretly stored throughout the Pacific. And at $2-3 million per drone, the U.S. could deploy large numbers at a fraction of the cost of $90 million F-35 stealth fighters.
Paul Crespo is a defense and national security expert. He served as a Marine Corps officer and as a military attaché with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) at US embassies worldwide. He holds degrees from Georgetown, London, and Cambridge Universities. Paul is also CEO of SPECTRE Global Risk, a security advisory firm, and a Contributor to American Defense News.
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Watch some progressive country hating stinker in a black robe try to block this.
Nothing is better than uncertainty in war. They will never have enough to counter all. If those little buggers have a bird-like radar image, the chinese are not going to like that. PLEASE: dont allow chinese descent soldiers to work on those secretive weapons. 90% of the chinese in the US are spies. Particularly the VERY SMART students. They get hired in the best companies and transmit their knowledge to main land china. Just as HUAWEI phones, tablets, etc BURST transmit all data everyday.
Time to rid the world of these disgusting subhuman bastards by and all means possible. Tim to end all chinese immigration to the USA especially tech workers who’re 100% spies. Anyone caught spying for china is to be arrested and given the death penalty, IMMEDIATELY. End all business doings with these subhumans, divest all business doings with them and bring the jobs thieving lying sob’s have stolen over the years,. All pandemics since the beginning of history from bubonic plague that killed millions in Europe from Roman times through the 1400’s, SARS, MERS, H1 N1,avian flu and swine flu and now covid -19 originated in the worlds largest sewer, toilet, petri dish and SHIT PIT, china! Anyone who thinks this corona virus is just the flu they need to wake up , smell the coffee and get their heads out of their asses or the clouds. This in biological germ warfare by china, pure and simple. Time for the world to isolate these no good worthless commie bastards just like north korea and iran. What good has china done for or given the world other than these diseases and filth? Time long overdue to tell china to F**K OFF!
Unbelievably well said and one American to another Thank you!!!!
What i would be interested in learning is what CHINA left behind in shipping containers at the Long Beach Harbor, after Our President re-claimed the port that the compromised California politicians had earlier “turned over” to china while Our Coast Guard was EVICTED.
Oh what evil webs are woven when deception rules after souls have been sold.
Finally! News of an AMERICAN tactical superiority!
We get tired hearing about Russia’s super-speed missiles and China’s nuclear proliferation and Iran’s impending atomic capabilities.
Hold Bill Clinton directly accountable for any losses of American lives. He turned over to them ALL of our war technologies, in exchange for payment of large funds. He was almost arrested for TREASON, under the UCMJ, but the flag-rank officers were on the plane that was bombed. His wife sold MOSSAD the download code to our Nuclear Weapons Legacy Database, which the “ally” then sold to China. He makes Benedict Arnold look like a Cub Scout.
Bella Pelosi, better known as Dracula. Sneaked in a 1 billion Dollar funding for Plan Parenthood (The abortion factory) in the Coronavirus bill. Never let a crisis go to waste is one of the Demoncrat 10 Satan Commandments.
Wuhan Virus AKA: Coronavirus weaponized by China and their treasonous Godless demoncratic Commie party and cohorts the fake media, academia, Hollywood,…to crash the greatest US economy ever! And to take down the greatest president ever, President Trump!! Keep up the great work President Trump! 2020 and beyond! From the Patriots of a Commie Demoncrat free America!
It’s a nice thing to inform the enemy of our intentions and strategy. That is like telling them when and where we will attack.
Be still my heart. Wadda story. Make it happen.
WHY would they put this on social media? I would think the military would want this as a surprise maneuver! Now, the chinese will be watching or trying to sabotage this!
Lisa: GGGRRR888 Question.
Hell Darlin with this same BS that BHO put out on national TV nightly news. the Chinese don’t need spies when their best one seemed to be the POTUS from 08 to 16
I wonder how the hell this ever got into hands that are either STUPID and /or think all Americans are so STUPID we wouldn’t get suspicious .
God Bless and stay safe “Wash your hands.
Semper Fi
Machete Eddie
Capt. USMC Ret
DO IT…drop some bombs in some hot spots and tell them if another outbreak happens, it will be a whole lot worse.
As a minimum this needs to be flight tested and evaluated. Great idea.
WHY is this even on here? I think it is a great idea but why does everyone need to know this? Who put this out here? They, at least, should be repremanded. If it was leaked the media should have enough sense not to report it……oh, but then again, we’re talking about the media…..no scruples…..
Well they give us a ray of home in the wrong ways. You know why Swarscoff won desert storm. He didn`t telegraph what he was going to do? What is this a sparring match? Two kids in the school yard only pushing one another. There was a Governmental line that hold true to this day. LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS.
The fact that they need to be assembled who give the Chinese a heads just by tracking the personel required. Kind of like tracking the toilet paper to determine the troops on a given base.
Time to rid the world of these disgusting subhuman bastards by and all means possible. End all chinese immigration to the USA especially tech workers who’re 100% spies. Anyone caught spying for china is to be arrested and given the death penalty, IMMEDIATELY. End all business dealings, divest all business doings with them, bring the jobs thieving lying sob’s have stolen over the years to America.,. All pandemics since the beginning of history from bubonic plague that kover half of the population of Europe from Roman times through the 1400’s, SARS, MERS, H1 N1,avian flu and swine flu and now covid -19 originated in the worlds largest sewer, toilet, petri dish and SHIT PIT, china! Anyone who thinks this corona virus is just the flu they need to wake up and get their heads out of their asses or the clouds. This in biological germ warfare by china, pure and simple. Time for the world to isolate these no good worthless commie bastards just like north korea and iran. What good has china done for or given the world other than these diseases and filth? Time long overdue to tell china to F**K OFF!
I love it!!!
…somewhere there is a fascistcrat traitor just iching to give the details of this to the chicoms…I’ll bet crooked biden’s crackhead spawn is licking his chops at the prospect…
Bella Pelosi, better known as Dracula. Sneaked in a 1 billion Dollar funding for Plan Parenthood (The abortion factory) in the Coronavirus bill. Never let a crisis go to waste is one of the Demoncrat 10 Satan Commandments.
Wuhan Virus AKA: Coronavirus weaponized by China and their treasonous Godless demoncratic Commie party and cohorts the fake media, academia, Hollywood, Millennials…to crash the greatest US economy ever! And to take down the greatest president ever, President Trump!! Keep up the great work President Trump! 2020 and beyond! From the Patriots of a Commie Demoncrat free America!
Good Deal. A little bit of uncertainty PLUS a little bit of crazy EQUALS an enemy that is kept off balance!
Get American manufacturing back up and running, wake up America.
Hong Kong a target is it?