Please watch a video here: http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/07/09/remote.fighters/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

The story:
CREECH AIR FORCE BASE, Nevada (CNN) — From a desert outpost northwest of Las Vegas, elite fighter pilots journey to a war zone in Afghanistan, some 7,500 miles away.

The Air Force’s new unmanned bomber, the “Reaper,” commutes from Nevada to Afghanistan.

It might be the world’s longest commute, except that these armchair pilots at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada never leave the air-conditioned comfort of their command center.

Air Force pilots are employing remotely controlled fighter-bomber aircraft — known in military parlance as unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs — to fly combat missions over Afghanistan, hunting for insurgents bent on undermining US forces and Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s fragile government.

This is the future of aerial combat.

Sitting in a virtual cockpit is not as exciting as flying a fighter jet, but unmanned attack-plane pilots can enjoy a normal workday schedule — more or less. Watch the Reaper at work »

“Seeing bad guys on the screen and watching them possibly get dispatched, and then going down to the Taco Bell for lunch, it’s kind of surreal,” says Captain Matt Dean.

The original drone was the “Predator,” armed with a pair of Hellfire missiles. It was followed by its bigger and far more lethal cousin, “the Reaper,” which carries four times as much firepower. The Reaper can carry the same bomb load as an F-16 fighter plane, but its pilots are not put in harm’s way.

The Air Force once employed jerry-rigged missiles strapped to unmanned spy planes. Now military commanders see remotely piloted aircraft as the model for the way future wars will be fought.

For over a year, Reapers have been flying two separate round-the-clock patrols over eastern Afghanistan, controlled from the Creech AFB command center, which has been strictly off-limits to the media until now.

Reaper pilots so far this year have launched 64 missiles and dropped seven 500-pound bombs in Afghanistan.

Originally a spy plane, the Predator was converted to a strike aircraft shortly after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center. Air Force technicians strapped two Hellfire missiles — one under each wing — and turned the unarmed “surveillance platform” into a remote-controlled killing machine.

By the weekend following September 11, the Predator’s operators believe they had Taliban leader Mullah Omar in their sights, but never got the authorization to pull the trigger.

Nonetheless, from that experience a new strategy was born — one of employing an increasing fleet of armed, unmanned aircraft. Unmanned spy planes have always provided an unblinking eye in the sky, but now they offer untiring combat capability, too.

The pilots stay safe and rotate in shifts to prevent fatigue, guiding incredibly lightweight planes that can stay aloft for more than a day at a time. Even after some 30 hours of flying time, upkeep of UAVs is minimal when compared with that of F-16s.

“Sometimes it’s a matter of putting gas in it and it goes right back up,” says Master Sgt. Aaron Hauser, who oversees daily maintenance of the Predator fleet at Creech. “It’s a far simpler aircraft to maintain, and that’s the whole point.”

The success of this new concept of aerial power has created a huge demand for the aircraft. Every commander wants one, but there aren’t nearly enough to go around.

But not for long: the Air Force is shifting its budget toward buying dozens more remote-controlled killer Reapers.

IT’S EXIT OR A MOVE; TO GO, STRIKE NEXT TARGETS?

A Khokar, 11-20-2006, 9:34 AM
Total Posts 230

It was a mid term election in United States; Democrats won and replaced conservative governing bodies in both the houses. Conservatives lost their rein of government owing to the policy they pursued so frantically in Iraq. But what difference does it make for the Iraqis on the ground?

Will there be any respite in the relentless killing of innocent Iraqis? Or there will be any change in the level of anarchy, chaos and mayhem in Iraq? Answer may be said as –NO.
Or …
Should we believe that this new batch of democrat elites belong to some angelic credo; sent by God, as a reprisal; for all the atrocities committed under Conservative regime; or to take revenge and secure a redress of a grievance of Iraqis?

Matter of fact is; no one is bothered about the welfare of Iraqis. US want to get out of Iraq under own compulsions; they can’t stand the mess; that they have created here. They are looking for some semblance in hand to (possibly) avail US a ‘face saving retreat’.

But there are some achievements also. It may be mayhem for Iraqis (out side the declared green zone). But inside the green zone; a fully self contained, self propelled, safe haven is now almost complete. It is a base; bigger than a Vatican state; fully secured and operative. A well sought foot hold in Iraq; weak may be at the moment but its anchorage has successfully been secured. Will Democrats be willing to abandon this base also? Probably they may not do so.

Policy of ‘Fallacy and Deception’ initiated by Neocons to conduct the ‘Global war on terror’ will certainly remain in place. The Prevalent mayhem in Iraq can be used as a convenient cover and a leeway to start trickling out and find a more vantage land and redeploy in Afghanistan; while keeping a good griping forces behind; to safe guard the American interests.

Redeploy (retreat) to Afghanistan may be a better option. Afghanistan is a war torn, mountainous, rugged and barren land. It is safe haven for all the fugitives. US will certainly avail this. US are already having a presence of sufficient harbouring forces there. It can also serve as best training ground; out side USA; for US armed forces; offering them the real conditions, for a realistic, on ground training; for their future battles.(ultimate battle ground to conquer the fortress of Islam in Muslim world-Pakistan) New horizons are opening up?

Above moves may keep Iran on its toes also and upset lot many other countries in the area; like Pakistan and other neighbouring states. We may expect many more storms in the making in the near future; where waters are found already troubled.

A couplet: (translation) on Iraq: (Habib Jalib)
The remorseless killers; they don’t change. Only they change their faces and flags.
What a journey; my traversed span and mile stones also travel with me!
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Love for all, Hatred for none