IAF scrambles to defend nuclear plant, shoots down balloon-UAV?

TLAM Strike · 12-16-10, 02:23 PM

New type of Terrorist UAV? A motorized balloon...

Quote:

An IDF spokeswoman said an Israeli warplane "shot down a suspicious flying object, probably a balloon, in southern Israel". Israeli media reports said the balloon was unmanned but powered by an engine.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomac...actor-1.330959

It wouldn't be the first time a terrorist UAV flew a recce over Israel.

antikristuseke · 12-16-10, 02:26 PM

Trying what the japanese did with baloons and bombs in the second world war?

Raptor1 · 12-16-10, 02:31 PM

An unmanned motorized balloon? That's...new...wonder what whoever built it was trying to achieve...

TLAM Strike · 12-16-10, 02:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raptor1

...wonder what whoever built it was trying to achieve...

To see what kind of defenses are around a plant that makes/made nuclear bombs.

Oberon · 12-16-10, 02:38 PM

Probably exactly what it did achieve. A test of reaction times and defences.

Raptor1 · 12-16-10, 02:45 PM

I can't see how something like this would tell anyone anything useful, the presence of SAM sites and air cover there is well known for decades. The only thing it could've told him is whether they would bother shooting down something like a motorized balloon, and I could've guessed the answer to that very easily.

Oberon · 12-16-10, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raptor1

I can't see how something like this would tell anyone anything useful, the presence of SAM sites and air cover there is well known for decades. The only thing it could've told him is whether they would bother shooting down something like a motorized balloon, and I could've guessed the answer to that very easily.

Alternatively it could be to see how much effort Israel puts into defending from that UAV, and whether they can be distracted by it enough to sneak something else in. A bit of a random way to go about it, but that's lateral warfare these days.

Raptor1 · 12-16-10, 02:51 PM

Hmm, I suppose you could be right. These sort of people don't usually make any sense, whoever they are.

TLAM Strike · 12-16-10, 03:02 PM

Maybe to see how long it would take the IAF to scramble and intercept in case they wanted to try an airborne attack.

Edit: Crazy stuff like this reminds me of the time a Tango para-glided in to Israel to kill an IDF soldier.

Oberon · 12-16-10, 03:13 PM

Get out of here, paraglide? Well, I suppose its a form of LALO.

Lateral warfare, damn, warfare is just getting more and more complicated.

TLAM Strike · 12-16-10, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

Get out of here, paraglide? Well, I suppose its a form of LALO.

Lateral warfare, damn, warfare is just getting more and more complicated.

Found it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_of_the_Gliders

Gargamel · 12-16-10, 03:31 PM

Or it could be some kid's science project..... a RC "airship" wouldnt be hard to build.

TLAM Strike · 12-16-10, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gargamel

Or it could be some kid's science project.....

Pictured the kids:

Platapus · 12-16-10, 04:56 PM

There was not some little boy in the balloon was there?

geetrue · 12-16-10, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raptor1

An unmanned motorized balloon? That's...new...wonder what whoever built it was trying to achieve...

Perhaps a camera on board or some poor high school science projects experiment gone bad

12-16-10, 02:31 PM	#3
Raptor1 Navy Seal Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Stavka Posts: 8,211 Downloads: 13 Uploads: 0	An unmanned motorized balloon? That's...new...wonder what whoever built it was trying to achieve... __________________ Current Eastern Front status: Probable Victory

12-16-10, 02:45 PM	#6
Raptor1 Navy Seal Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Stavka Posts: 8,211 Downloads: 13 Uploads: 0	I can't see how something like this would tell anyone anything useful, the presence of SAM sites and air cover there is well known for decades. The only thing it could've told him is whether they would bother shooting down something like a motorized balloon, and I could've guessed the answer to that very easily. __________________ Current Eastern Front status: Probable Victory

12-16-10, 02:51 PM	#8
Raptor1 Navy Seal Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Stavka Posts: 8,211 Downloads: 13 Uploads: 0	Hmm, I suppose you could be right. These sort of people don't usually make any sense, whoever they are. __________________ Current Eastern Front status: Probable Victory

12-16-10, 03:02 PM	#9
TLAM Strike Navy Seal Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Rochester, New York Posts: 8,633 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 6	Maybe to see how long it would take the IAF to scramble and intercept in case they wanted to try an airborne attack. Edit: Crazy stuff like this reminds me of the time a Tango para-glided in to Israel to kill an IDF soldier. __________________

12-16-10, 03:31 PM	#12
Gargamel Lucky Sailor Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Rome Posts: 4,273 Downloads: 81 Uploads: 0	Or it could be some kid's science project..... a RC "airship" wouldnt be hard to build. __________________ Luck is a residue of Design.

12-16-10, 02:26 PM	#2
antikristuseke Silent Hunter Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Estland Posts: 4,330 Downloads: 3 Uploads: 0	Trying what the japanese did with baloons and bombs in the second world war?

12-16-10, 02:38 PM	#5
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	Probably exactly what it did achieve. A test of reaction times and defences.

12-16-10, 03:13 PM	#10
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20	Get out of here, paraglide? Well, I suppose its a form of LALO. Lateral warfare, damn, warfare is just getting more and more complicated.

12-16-10, 04:56 PM	#14
Platapus Fleet Admiral Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 19,362 Downloads: 63 Uploads: 0	There was not some little boy in the balloon was there? __________________ abusus non tollit usum - A right should NOT be withheld from people on the basis that some tend to abuse that right.