German drone almost collided with Afghan Airbus

[Skybird]

http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutsc...-a-903337.html

I assume this text will be released in the English intenraitonal ediiton tomorrow as well, but here is the German version already.

It says in 2004 a German drone, a Luna-type which is laucnhed by catapults and stays in the air for 6-8 hours, almost collided with an Airbus of the Afghan airline.

The video embedded in the text shows a rear view of the drone - and how the airbus chases by, approaching the drone's six and almost flying into it. It is on youtube sinc elonger, but not before now has Der Spiegel claimed to have gotten documents proving the incident which the German army so far has kept strictly secret.

The city below is Kabul.

The German lost another Luna years later, over Kunduz. In 2010.

The German army currently sees many troubles. The Euro Hawk drone porject colapsed, due to incompetence in the ministry and the drone not being equipped with an anti-collision warning system. Short while ago, the issue around the G36 turned hot both physically and legally, whith seriosu criticism beign voice dnow to havwe that tiny callibre which is not even allowed to chase roe deer, red deer and wild boars in Germany due to its lacking power. Just days ago the ministry had to admit that an order for 100+ Eagle V transports had to be stopped, the reasons still beign kept secret so far and the armoured transport cars being already expected in Afghanistan. And in general the reform of the army turns out to be "sub-optimal", with the army said to have personnel issues with too few recruits joining since the draft was cancelled, every fourth recruits is bailing out early, and then some more in later stages of the engagement.

[Herr-Berbunch]

I'm guessing there was no graffiti on the Airbus?

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

I'm guessing there was no graffiti on the Airbus?

I hope they shot some of those damned Taliban with spraycans before they could do any damage...

[Herr-Berbunch]

Originally Posted by Penguin

I hope they shot some of those damned Taliban with spraycans before they could do any damage...

I'm glad somebody got the joke, even if it was you.

[Penguin]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

I'm glad somebody got the joke, even if it was you.

You got me: I cheated. I just rang the German Ministry of Humor, Unpunctuality and Recreation to explain it to me. Its only employee told me "zis is no laughing matter!".
Thanks to you, now I have to go to the reeducation camp, this means biting into lemons all day - though i hope I won't become a limey.

[Herr-Berbunch]

At least you won't get scurvy.

[em2nought]

Originally Posted by Herr-Berbunch

I'm glad somebody got the joke, even if it was you.

Trying to make jokes in a German thread.

[August]

Originally Posted by Skybird

The German army currently sees many troubles.

Of course it has troubles. You can't really expect quality after 60 years of neglect and disdain. I've been surprised they have done as well as they have.

[Catfish]

But the bset is that the 'eurohawk' thingie has been cancelled because of missing proximity sensors. As the US said it just is not installed, the part itself is cheap and could be installed within an hour. Cables and plugs are all there. But the project is now being abandoned because of that missing sensor lmao.
I think there's another reason behind all that fuss

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Catfish

I think there's another reason behind all that fuss

Yes there is, I called it the ministry's incompetence. The sensors are one of the two main reasons why the European authorities would not have certified the drone for flight operation over European land. Having installed that sensor earlier, would have allowed that certification in that regard.

The other reason - and that is where the manufacturer and the US on the one side and the German defense ministry play ping-pong over - is that America is traditionally extremely hesitant and unwilling to give any documentation on the defense technology it sells, like the intelligence agencies also give information only extremely rarely and prefer to just take instead. But the German side should have known that they would not get the documentation needed from the Americans that would have been inevitable for proper certification by European authorities. One should have known and forseen that problem for sure.