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There are also stories that are intended to pave the way for drones being used on American soil.
This all seems really fishy. You'd think if this was really top-secret level equipment, there would be several failsafes and an inevitable self-destruct mechanism in the event it was out of contact enough to reasonably assume capture. The fact it's wholly intact makes me wonder if it's some sort of honeypot.
One American analyst ridiculed Iran’s capability, telling Defense News that the loss was “like dropping a Ferrari into an ox-cart technology culture.” An ox-cart technology culture that is allied with China and Russia. I hope this kind of hubris is counterbalanced by more realistic attitudes in the defense world.
That said, I'm sure China and Russia would also pay very well in both cash and political favors to get a look at the drone, which might end up being more worthwhile to the Iranians than pulling it apart themselves.
Christian Science Monitor: is this a reputable source known for good journalism?
If they hacked it as described, the engineers who pulled it off deserve our congratulations on a hack well played.
If it's all some elaborate ruse for the sake of internal PR, well, good to know those exist outside the U.S. also. :)
Relying on GPS or any external source of navigational data is risky. I cannot believe the vehicle didn't have working inertial navigation that would clearly indicate the GPS was off by quite a lot. Simple rule - if you have no contact with home and your GPS says you are a couple hundred miles away from where your inertial navigation, your compass and all visual cues (if cruise missiles have it, so should this bird) t…
Oh good. I can make drones self destruct with a gps spoofer.
Christian Science Monitor: is this a reputable source known for good journalism?
(Prelude edit: A few people seem to be missing the point I'm making here. I know quite a lot about the predator, and a bit about the Global Hawk. I do not know much about the Sentinel. The jab about building a drone with parts on my kitchen table is a joke, meant to illustrate that this is either an absurd level of incompetence on the part of Lockheed Martin [not likely] or the article is incorrect, the latter being…
I am also working in the area of government military contracting and I would claim your credibility in LM's competence is baffling. Are we talking about the same company here?
Earlier quoted context omitted.
My point is that Iran is being made out to be the "bad guy" because they've taken something important and supposedly secret that belongs to the USA and won't give it back. I don't think a country is the bad guy when they are simply trying to stop another country from spying on them.
I'd be interested to know who, other than Iranians, considers Iran the "good guys."
Earlier quoted context omitted.
The P code is on a different frequency, so the Iranians could have just jammed the P code, and then presumably the drone would rely on the the unencrypted C/A code which they spoofed.
Sigh.. I hope it was not that insecure.