Yes. American drones from the ’70s loaded with explosives. Bought from Syria. By the North Koreans. It sounds like the plot for a Chevy Chase movie, but it’s real, according to a defence Tech source:
North Korea recently bought several US MQM-107D Streakers from a Middle Eastern nation that appears to be Syria, and is developing unmanned attack aircraft based on them.
Isn’t international arm trading wonderful? The high speed turbojet powered drone was used by the United States Army and the United States Air Force for testing and training their people in targeting practice. Once used, it could be recovered with the help of parachutes, reloaded with fuel and launched again. The North Koreans don’t want to reuse these. Once they retrofit them with explosives, they will deploy them over their South border and have them ready to launch against South Korean troops.
I know that ’70s technology may seem pretty outdated — and it is, compared to current drone technology — but consider that the F-16 on the image flew for the first time on the ’70s too. To me, anything that can fly at high velocity loaded with explosives on the hands of a bunch of psychotic military people is never good news. [Defense Tech]
Geekface Killah
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 10:25 AMThe F-16 would have been extensively upgraded/updated. The drone would not have.
Andrew
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 12:11 PMAt least US pilots have extensive experience shooting down target drones :P
chugs
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 12:52 PMinternational arms dealing only faciliated by the inital sale of american arms to Syria in the 1970s which is completely crazy considering that the Yom Kippur War was in the 70s, against Syria.
If anything if the article is correct it just goes to show America was selling weapons to both sides.
what a bunch of assholes.
simon
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 1:13 PMisn’t an “unmanned attack drone loaded with high explosives” usually called a missile? don’t they already have those?
Osiris Fox
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 3:04 PMAgreed. Sensationalist to say the least.
Sean
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 3:55 PMNo, no, “Several” lashed up, subsonic, conventionally armed, converted drone cruise missiles from the 70′s are definitely something you should lose your shit over. Panic. Panic now.
Kent
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 4:01 PMMy understanding is that a missile would act under it’s own ‘volition’ as such receiving only minimal command and having a single goal, where as a drone would be under the constant control of an operator.
Scott
Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 10:57 PMNo mention is made oh how Syria got them in the first place.
Did the US sell them to Syria?
When was it OK to sell that kind of stuff to Syria?
Will someone please educate me?!