Tag Archives: drones

Drones Part III Chinese Threat 

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop,Ph.D.

As I reported in the prior two article on this topic, drones are increasingly changing the nature of warfare.  With the reality that China represents the greatest security threat facing our country, it is critical that we stay apprised of their actions in this area.  Let’s take a look.

China not only has produced some of the most effective and reliable drones, but their production capacity far exceeds any other country including the United States.  For example, their company, DJI Technology, dominates the U.S. market for commercial and recreational drones which is estimated to exceed 6 billion dollars.  They produce 90% of the drones sold worldwide.  China, like most other countries, has noted the effectiveness of drones for military purposes being used in the Russia/Ukraine war.  In fact, it was just reported that the Chinese military has placed an order with DJI Technology, for almost one million drones.  The potential impact of these “kamakaze” drones armed with explosives has proven very effective against tanks, artillery placements, naval vessels, and troop placements in the Russia/Ukraine war.

China has developed a drone system that consists of a large “mother drone” that can be directed towards a target area and then releases multiple smaller drones to hit specific targets.  The swarming effect of this system would be very difficult to stop to say the least.  Combine this with low altitude flight patterns and difficulty detecting with radar and the threat increases dramatically.  On a much larger scale, China is producing drones that are the size of fighter aircraft that are flown using artificial intelligence.  The plan is to have a manned fighter/bomber accompanied by multiple unmanned drones overwhelm the target using missiles to deliver the explosives.  The use of artificial intelligence as the drone control system eliminates the need for extensive training programs required by human pilots.  China at a November 2024 air show unveiled a stealth drone not easily radar detectable that is 190 ft. long with a wing span of 175 ft. with a range of 4,000 miles.  This is scary stuff indeed.  Do we need any more evidence that China is preparing for future warfare?  Financed, of course, with the money they make from trade with our country.

There are some of our lawmakers that are waking up to this threat.  For example, Senator Rick Scott (R-Fl) has proposed a ban on the import of Chinese made drones.  The ban is being resisted by people in this country who rely on these relatively inexpensive drones for commercial purposes.  For example, for about $35,000 a farmer can purchase a Chinese drone to monitor and spray crops as compared to a ground sprayer that can cost up to $250,000.  Clearly, like many items we get from China, we need to return to relying on our own domestic production.  We cannot continue to rely on a communist adversary for essential products.  Also, we must recognize that the only way to defeat new technology is with other new technology.  For example, our military has been developing the use of high energy lasers to defend against missiles, artillery, drones, etc.  This may be a solution to some of the challenges of drone warfare.  Clearly, using expensive missiles that cost near one million dollars a piece is not the solution to the drone threat.

Hopefully, the new Trump administration will take whatever action necessary to defend our country and allies.  Wasting money on green energy and DEI is not the answer.

The Mess The Biden Administration Is Leaving Behind

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Peace in the Middle East has always been elusive. However, we came very close to achieving it during the first Trump administration. Because of the damage done by the Biden administration, it may be more difficult during the second Trump administration.

On Monday, The Epoch Times reported:

The Iranian Army says it has taken delivery of 1,000 new drones equipped with stealth capabilities and designed to target enemy fortifications.

The Ababil-4 and Ababil-5 drones, which were designed by the Iranian defence ministry, were delivered to various locations throughout Iran, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.

Tasnim said the weapons were formally handed over to the armed forces on Jan. 13, at a ceremony attended by Iranian Army Commander Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi and Defence Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh.

…Tasnim said the Iranian Army had also received Arash drones, which it said can carry out so-called suicide missions at long range and with “pinpoint accuracy.”

In the past 15 months, Iran has also supplied drones and drone technology to its allies in the so-called axis of resistance, the terrorist group Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi terrorist group in Yemen.
On December 11, 2024, The New York Post reported:

The Biden administration quietly extended a sanctions waiver that will grant Iran access to roughly $10 billion from Iraq two days after President-elect Donald Trump’s Election Day victory. 

The controversial waiver, which has been repeatedly extended by Secretary of State Antony Blinken despite strong opposition from congressional Republicans, allows the Iranian regime access to funds from Iraq in exchange for electricity purchases.

“On November 7th, the [State Department] did renew Iraq’s electricity waiver for the 23rd time since 2018,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel confirmed last week.    

“It was done so for an additional 120 days,” Patel noted – a time frame that will overlap with the early months of Trump’s second term in office. 

Why are we indirectly arming a country that has stated it wants to destroy us?

As Iranian Military Might In The Middle East Shrinks, China’s Grows

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On January 6th, The National Interest reported the following:

Amid Iranian defeats across the Middle East, the Houthi rebels in Yemen are increasingly turning to China for missile components to use against the West.

The Yemen-based Houthi rebels have found a new backer: the People’s Republic of China. In a recent report published by i24 News, U.S. intelligence sources detail the undercover collaboration between Beijing and the Iranian-backed terror group which has perpetuated the ongoing instability in the Red Sea. While the Houthis have indiscriminately carried out attacks targeting warships and shipping vessels alike in these waters for years, the rebel group’s maritime strikes have escalated following the October 7, 2023, massacre in Israel. According to the Israel-based news outlet, the Houthis are now using Chinese-designed weapons in their attacks. In exchange, the terror group will cease attacks on ships flying the Chinese flag. With a shared mutual contempt for the West, Beijing and Tehran’s collaboration in the region makes sense.

 Iran has suffered significant blows over the last year. From the decimation of Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah’s leadership in Lebanon to the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, Tehran’s clout in the Middle East is rapidly deteriorating. Lacking the resources and weapons needed to continue its asymmetric objectives in the region, the regime has relied on China and Russia for support. The rogue allies are largely isolated from the international community and therefore lean on each other for arms, funds and even training at times.

The article concludes:

The Chinese-Iranian collaboration on this front coincides with the allies’ determination to establish a new international order based on their own rules. Beijing, Tehran, Moscow and even Pyongyang are increasingly working together to undermine the U.S. and Western power. The People’s Republic of China has also allegedly interfered in the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine by providing drones to Moscow. Now that U.S. intelligence services have uncovered China’s material support for a group perpetuating attacks against Israel, the U.S. and other Western nations, the depth of this collaboration is even more alarming.

Diplomacy in the Middle East is going to be very complicated in the coming years. China is not fighting the west directly–it is just supplying weapons to countries that will not be able to stop its rise to world domination in the future. The idea is that these countries will use the weapons against countries that might actually be able to compete with China. If China can significantly weaken the major western countries without being directly involved, there will be no barriers to China become the sole superpower of the world.

Drones Part II 

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Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.

In Part I, I presented a summary of how the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (i.e. drones) have changed the conduct of military combat as witnessed most vividly in the Ukraine/Russia War. These changes must be addressed by the United States if we are to preserve our national security. This article will address the potential impact of domestic drones.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has established rules for the recreational and commercial use of drones. A quick search of the Amazon website will show an amazing variety of drones available to the general public. Here are some of the FAA rules for recreational drones:  Maximum flight elevation: 400 ft., weight limit: 55 lbs., must be flown within visual line of sight of operator at all times, and must observe airspace restrictions, such as around airports. In addition, operators must be at least 13 years of age and pass an operator’s exam and register their drone. Commercial drone operators must be at least 16 years of age, obtain a remote operator’s license, and speak and read the English language. Commercial drones may be flown at night and out of sight of the operator.  What is troubling is that non-citizen foreigners may operate drones in our country, even those manufactured outside the United States. Note that individual states may impose stricter regulations. Commercial drones are used, among other things, for real estate and agricultural purposes, such as monitoring crop conditions. There is also an effort underway to use drones to deliver online purchases.

Law enforcement use of drones has been expanding rapidly. Drones are used for search and rescue operations as well as border control surveillance, for which they are quite useful and economical, having been used since 2005. They have replaced helicopters in many circumstances. They also have an important role in security surveillance, which unfortunately was not done effectively by the Secret Service on the two assassination attempts against President Trump. Of course, criminals can also use drones to monitor potential crime scenes, as we have seen. Some police departments are considering using drones to approach vehicles they stop rather than having vulnerable officers approach the vehicle.

As we can see, there are some positive uses for drones. But like all things, the potential negative aspects must be addressed as well. For example—privacy. Right now, there is no way to prevent anyone from flying a drone over your home/property and photographing everything they wish. The ability of a drone to hover for extended periods is far different than a small airplane flying overhead.  By the way, do not think about shooting a drone down. You will become the law breaker.  Another concern is the potential for any drone to become a carrier of explosives. It is certainly feasible for criminals and assassins to equip a drone with explosives and strike their targets. Detection of drones is very difficult since they fly at elevations that are below normal radar detection. The recent reported sightings of drones in New Jersey (and other locations) for which no adequate explanation was forthcoming, shows the inability to track and identify all drones.

The potential threat by terrorists is especially worrisome.  China in particular, has sent thousands of their citizens over our open borders, and since they own thousands of acres of land in this country, could conceivably establish centers of drone activity that could destroy our electrical grid and attack military targets. It should be noted that China has probably the most sophisticated drone technology in the world.  By the way, foreigners cannot own land in China, nor can they own or operate drones. Should we trust the Chinese communist government?  Absolutely not.

So, what should we do? First, stop China and other communist countries from owning any land in the United States. Second, non-citizens should not be allowed to own, import, or operate drones in this country. Third, establish a standing security task force to monitor and assess the threat of domestic drone activity. Fourth, harden our power grid to reduce its vulnerability to terrorist attacks. It is time for our elected officials to deal with this issue.

Drones and Artificial Intelligence: Part I 

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D.

Advancing technology is the essence of modern civilization. The rate of technological change is becoming downright mind boggling. Since changing technology is neither inherently good or bad, the question becomes how effective will mankind be, in using these rapid technological changes in a manner that benefits the human race. Looking back in history is not reassuring, especially how new technologies have permitted mankind to dramatically increase the lethality of war.

One of the major changes impacting the military is the development and use of drones (i.e. unmanned vehicles).  When most people think of drones, they imagine small, battery powered flying devices used for recreational or aerial photography. The war between Ukraine and Russia has shown that drones have become major components of war. It is estimated that over a million drones have been used thus far in that war. The United States military has been exploring the use of drones, and in fact deployed them in Afghanistan and possibly other areas such as Iraq. Most other countries are now producing and equipping their military with drones.

The variety of military drones is amazing and getting more sophisticated by the day. Here are just a couple of examples. One of the simplest is the RQ-11 Raven:  Size 3 ft. by 5 ft.  Hand launched.  Speed: 18 mph.  Endurance:  90 minutes.  Cost: $250,000.  Purpose:  Used for close-up reconnaissance and observation of enemy positions and troop placements.   A medium size drone example is the Boeing RO-21 Blackjack.  Size: 8 ft. by 16 ft. Ground launched. Speed: 100 mph.  Endurance: 24 hrs.  Cost:  $ 14 million. Used for longer range and higher elevation surveillance. The third example is the MO Reaper:  Size: 36 ft. by 65 ft. Land or aircraft carrier launched. Speed:  400 mph. Range: 1200 miles. Cost:  $28 million.  Essentially replaces manned air craft. Notice the cost of these drones. Not cheap.

Most of the drones used in the Ukraine/Russia war have been relatively small drones used in support of local ground forces. With appropriate explosives they can attack and destroy not only infantry positions but artillery placements and even armored tanks. This undoubtedly has saved many human casualties. One aspect of drone attacks is that they are effective against parked aircraft and even naval ships; especially if they are deployed in swarms which overwhelm defenses. There is also the disparagement in the cost. The smaller drones that the Houti rebels have launched against our naval ships require expensive defensive missiles to shoot them down.   Drones that cost, say $25,000, require Patriot system missiles to shoot them down which cost well over $1 million each to produce.

Most of the early drones were radio signal controlled. However, the development of artificial intelligence is allowing the control of the drone far beyond most radio control systems. How much independence AI systems have when controlling and directing the drone attack remains to be discovered. Admittedly, the military use of drones is in its beginning stage.   Have we reached the point where robots flying robotic vehicles are fighting our wars? If so, who will actually be in control? Also, there was a time in the Cold War where only super rich countries could afford the expense of nuclear weapons and delivery systems. Will the spread of inexpensive drones expand the threat of war by other countries? Will there come a time when countries will no longer need highly trained pilots? Just reflect on what China has been doing buying up extensive farmland around our military bases. How about attacks on our power grid?

The challenge of drones from a security perspective must be taken seriously.

We Can’t Shoot Them Down Because We Don’t Know What’s On Them

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On December 13th, Breitbart posted an article about the drones that have recently been sighted over New Jersey.

The article reports:

On Thursday’s broadcast of CNN’s “OutFront,” Belleville, NJ Mayor Michael Melham stated that the drones around the state have to be taken down and stated that there were briefings “that we’ve had Coast Guard working with our New Jersey State Police, our helicopters have seen them. We asked, well, when they go out to sea, are we going to shoot them down?” And they were told the drones wouldn’t be taken down due to fears of what might be on them.

Wait a minute. We don’t know who they belong to (supposedly), we don’t know what they are doing, and we don’t know what is on them. Wow. We really are doing great with our military defenses.

The article notes:

…We were told during the briefing that these drones are hovering over critical infrastructure, and as you said in your intro, you’re talking about nuclear power plants, you’re talking about reservoirs, you’re talking about Picatinny Arsenal, Fort Dix, Trump Bedminster. … Yet, they’re telling us that there’s no credible threat. Yet, they’re also telling us they don’t want to take them out of the air. They’re also telling us they don’t want a temporary ban.”

He added, “[W]e were briefed that we’ve had Coast Guard working with our New Jersey State Police, our helicopters have seen them. We asked, well, when they go out to sea, are we going to shoot them down? No, we’re not going to shoot them down. Why not? We’re told, well, we don’t know. There might be a payload on them. There may be this on them, may be that on them. … The drones should be shot down.”

Melham also said that it is possible that the drones could actually be a federal government countermeasure.

If we are willing to let these supposedly harmless drones fly freely into our airspace, what will stop those that wish us harm from attaching bombs or harmful chemicals to drones and flying them into our airspace?

The Problem With The Statement

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This is President Biden’s Statement regarding the attack on Israel (from Townhall):

Earlier today, Iran—and its proxies operating out of Yemen, Syria and Iraq—launched an unprecedented air attack against military facilities in Israel. I condemn these attacks in the strongest possible terms.

At my direction, to support the defense of Israel, the U.S. military moved aircraft and ballistic missile defense destroyers to the region over the course of the past week.  Thanks to these deployments and the extraordinary skill of our servicemembers, we helped Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles. 

I’ve just spoken with Prime Minister Netanyahu to reaffirm America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel.  I told him that Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks – sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel.

Tomorrow, I will convene my fellow G7 leaders to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack.  My team will engage with their counterparts across the region.  And we will stay in close touch with Israel’s leaders.  And while we have not seen attacks on our forces or facilities today, we will remain vigilant to all threats and will not hesitate to take all necessary action to protect our people.

There are a few problems with the statement. First of all, the attack was not simply against military facilities–it was also against civilians.

The article also notes that President Biden is demanding that Israel refrain from a military response to the attacks. What other nation in the world would be asked to do that?

Terrorism Impacts All Of Us

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This is a map of one of the most popular shipping routes in the Middle East:

Ships come through the Suez Canal, into the Red Sea, and eventually make their way to the Indian Ocean. One of the major shipping lines to use this route is A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S.

On Friday, Townhall reported the following:

“Container shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S instructed its vessels heading for the southern entrance of the Red Sea to pause their voyages after one of its carriers came under attack. The move threatens to undermine the global economic recovery and adds to pressure on the US to improve security along one of the worlds most important trade routes,” Bloomberg reports. “Disruptions in the area can snarl supply chains and world trade. Back in 2021, the grounding of the Ever Given blocked the Suez Canal for almost a week, throwing ships off schedule for months and tightening the available of cargo space. That accident was estimated to have cut capacity by 20% to 30% for several weeks.” 

The move comes after a Maersk ship was attacked by drones over the past 24 hours.

The article concludes:

Since October 7, when Hamas launched a brutal terrorist attack on civilians in Israel, the Houthis have been attacking ships and launching missiles at Israeli and U.S. targets. Many have been intercepted by U.S. military ships currently stationed in the region. 

In 2021, the Biden administration delisted the Houthis as a terrorist organization. 

By order of the President and as a direct result of a nearly 3-year policy of appeasing Iran and its proxies, the United States today utterly failed in a core mission of upholding freedom of navigation. The magnitude of the moment should not be understated. Beijing is watching.

— Richard Goldberg (@rich_goldberg) December 15, 2023

 

The boldness of the Houthis is a direct result of the Biden administration’s desperate attempt to broker a nuclear deal with Iran. They don’t want to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon–they just want to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon while the Democrats are still in power. As soon as they get out of town, they really don’t care.

Please vote this administration out of office in November.

Privacy, Anyone?

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On Thursday, The New York Post reported the following:

Mayor Eric Adams on Friday claimed the public’s fantasies about “sci-fi” are to blame for any fears involving NYPD drones flying over Labor Day weekend celebrations.

“We have to push back on the sci-fi aspects of drones — nobody’s going to be monitored,” Adams insisted at a press conference Friday alongside NYPD Commissioner Eddie Caban — after some civil-rights activists and Big Apple residents trashed the cops’ use of the gadgets as Big Brother-esque.

“So what we’re doing over this weekend, there are a number of calls of loud music disruptive behavior,” Adams said. “Instead of the police having to respond and look at those, they’re going to utilize drones from a safe distance up, not down flying in someone’s backyard to see what they have on a grill.

“[NYPD are] going to utilize the drones to determine [if they] should they send crisis management teams there right away to help mitigate the problem. We don’t want police to be the only response.”

In the past when a noise complaint took place, two police officers would knock on the door and ask the residents to turn the music down. If the residents complied, there was no reason to continue the matter. My fear with the use of drones is that first of all, it eliminates initial human interaction (which is where I feel most arguments happen). I also fear that those at private parties will decide to create a new party game called, “Shoot down the drones.”

Even if the law is not bad in itself, the precedent it sets for the government being able to look into your private affairs is not good.