Mystery Drones over Langley

[crux]

MY question is, why didn't they shoot them down if they weren't ID'd? Swarms of drones don't sound like a backyard enthusiast to me.

Because they knew who was behind it? Just a guess.

 

[Duke]

"The name "Langley" often occurs as a metonym for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), as the community is home to the CIA headquarters"

link

That's what I explained earlier. The drones in the article were reported over LAFB in Hampton VA. CIA HQ is Langley, Va. One is an airbase in the Tidewater area of Southern Va., the other a town(ish) in northern VA.

 

[crux]

That's what I explained earlier. The drones in the article were reported over LAFB in Hampton VA. CIA HQ is Langley, Va. One is an airbase in the Tidewater area of Southern Va., the other a town(ish) in northern VA.

C'mon, Duke. The CIA HQ is only 184 miles away from some obviously spy-like activity, just the sort of thing that intel agencies do. Do you really think it's not logical to suspect they are responsible?

I think the gentleman doth protest too much.

 

[Duke]

MY question is, why didn't they shoot them down if they weren't ID'd? Swarms of drones don't sound like a backyard enthusiast to me.

Hampton/Tidewater region is highly populated. I worked at NASA Langley (shares base with USAF), there are homes and businesses literally right outside the gates. Dangerous to be firing anti-aircraft weapons over such an area. Even shooting at them out over the water is dangerous due to the high volume of naval and commercial shipping in/around Hampton Roads.

Smarter/safer way to take out the drones would be to use an electrical countermeasures (ECM) system. The Brits used such a system against drones at Gatwick Airport around Christmas 5-6 years ago. We also used ECM to bring down Iranian drones buzzing USN ships in the Stait of Hormuz about the same time.

Using ECM, you still run the risk of out-of-control drones crashing into populated area. Even small hobbiest drones dropping from the skies can do/cause significant damage. Considering just a couple dozen dropping on rush hour traffic or one of the local beaches.

 

[Debi]

Hampton/Tidewater region is highly populated. I worked at NASA Langley (shares base with USAF), there are homes and businesses literally right outside the gates. Dangerous to be firing anti-aircraft weapons over such an area. Even shooting at them out over the water is dangerous due to the high volume of naval and commercial shipping in/around Hampton Roads.

Smarter/safer way to take out the drones would be to use an electrical countermeasures (ECM) system. The Brits used such a system against drones at Gatwick Airport around Christmas 5-6 years ago. We also used ECM to bring down Iranian drones buzzing USN ships in the Stait of Hormuz about the same time.

Using ECM, you still run the risk of out-of-control drones crashing into populated area. Even small hobbiest drones dropping from the skies can do/cause significant damage. Considering just a couple dozen dropping on rush hour traffic or one of the local beaches.

Thanks. That now makes sense to me cuz I had a vision of snipers just bopping them out of the sky...lol

 

[Duke]

C'mon, Duke. The CIA HQ is only 184 miles away from some obviously spy-like activity, just the sort of thing that intel agencies do. Do you really think it's not logical to suspect they are responsible?

I think the gentleman doth protest too much.

I merely corrected your mistake. A little research on your part would have told you Langley AFB does not equal CIA HQ as you claimed. Two separate facilities, run by two separate agencies, in two different cities, on the opposite ends of the state.

I won't comment on what the CIA might or might not be doing because I have no knowledge of their efforts in drone warfare. I do know how to read a map, however.

 

[crux]

A little research on your part would have told you Langley AFB does not equal CIA HQ as you claimed.

You're getting a little peevish, Duke. Are you OK?

I didn't claim the AFB was CIA HQ. I said, "Langley = CIA HQ" which is true and I cited a reference. I did NOT say "Langley AFB = CIA HQ."

I merely made the connection due to the proximity of the two facilities and the "earmarks" of the activity in question. I am quite aware of the difference between an AFB and an intel agency HQ.

 

[Debi]

You're getting a little peevish, Duke. Are you OK?

I didn't claim the AFB was CIA HQ. I said, "Langley = CIA HQ" which is true and I cited a reference. I did NOT say "Langley AFB = CIA HQ."

I merely made the connection due to the proximity of the two facilities and the "earmarks" of the activity in question.

Let's not name call. That is not what we do here. Duke made a distinction between the two, which also helped those of us not aware to understand locations. Let's keep this civil.

 

[crux]

Let's not name call. That is not what we do here. Duke made a distinction between the two, which also helped those of us not aware to understand locations. Let's keep this civil.

I meant no disrespect. "Peevish" isn't a name, it's a condition. I meant that he seemed to be getting angry at me as in peeved.

 

[Debi]

Let's make a deal and not raise my blood pressure, OK?