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Officials Claim Drone Incursion Led to Shutdown of El Paso Airport

nytimes.com

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Re: Officials Claim Drone Incursion Led to Shutdown of El Paso Airport

#51

Post by mikkupikku »

einarfd wrote: post #43

Could it be that USA government believe that Iran might be trying to do something similar to the Ukraine operation spiderweb, where they attacked the Russian long distance bomber fleet with short distance FPV drones? While there aren't bombers at Fort Bliss. As far as I know there are other high value targets.

Probably the least unhinged theory in this thread, but unfortunately it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. If they had intel about such a threat, they'd have to move all high value assets to another base pronto. A flight ban won't stop a shady box truck from rolling into town and releasing a swarm of small drones.

(It would also be uncharacteristic of Iran to actually attack America directly, on American soil. Try to find examples of Iran doing that and you'll come up quiet short.)

Re: Officials Claim Drone Incursion Led to Shutdown of El Paso Airport

#54

Post by c420 »

K0balt wrote: post #29
Shank wrote: post #17

Nuclear weapons test? The latest test treaty just expired. Edit: There are two TFRs, one in El Paso and one right next to it in the mountains: https://tfr.faa.gov/tfr3/?page=detail_6_2234

Probably just closing the airspace for the space alien emissary.

Welcome. Tremendous to have you here. Really historic. Some people said it couldn’t happen, but I said keep an open mind, and now look. Intergalactic diplomacy. Nobody’s ever seen anything like it. We’re ready to make a deal, a fair deal, maybe the best deal in the galaxy.

Re: Officials Claim Drone Incursion Led to Shutdown of El Paso Airport

#55

Post by mikkupikku »

lazide wrote: post #48
Stevvo wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think not; it's not somewhere you can conduct a nuclear test without starting a war with Mexico. However it is interesting to look at the TFR area in Google maps; it looks just like a nuclear test site, but the craters are natural volcanoes.

Mexico isn’t going to start a war with the US. it would last a week at most, and they’d end up glowing even more than if the us ‘downwinded’ them all year.

If Mexico went to war with America they would rely on asymmetric insurgency tactics. They have no shortage of sympathetic people in America, not just Mexican nationals but native born Americans as well. America hasn't dealt with a genuine domestic insurgency situation before.

Re: Officials Claim Drone Incursion Led to Shutdown of El Paso Airport

#56

Post by sph »

donkeybeer wrote: post #34
sph wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Aren't those countries thousands of miles away from El Paso, Texas?

Cuba could be one. While Florida is closer, it's possible due to El Paso being considered highly isolated.

If it is for a military reason (very doubtful at this point), there is a country that is literally 0 miles away from El Paso.

Re: Officials Claim Drone Incursion Led to Shutdown of El Paso Airport

#57

Post by mikkupikku »

AdamN wrote: post #33
extraduder_ire wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why wouldn't that be announced in advance? It'll be detectable internationally as soon as it happens.

If true they would have told the Russians and the Chinese and yes everybody will know after the fact. But for various reasons they might not want to disclose ahead of time in case Trump gets talked out of it or they realize they're not ready or various other reasons (perhaps the Energy Dept. doesn't actually want to do it but they're going forward step by step hoping it gets halted).

If they already know, complaining about it in advance will soften the public shock when it happens, which is probably not what Russia and China want. They'd prefer that the rest of the world be maximally shocked and outraged by such a transgression of international norms.

Re: Officials Claim Drone Incursion Led to Shutdown of El Paso Airport

#59

Post by mikkupikku »

sph wrote: post #53

Maybe there's credible threat of MANPADs from the cartels? Wouldn't be the first time around, apparently. https://old.reddit.com/r/aviation/comments/1r1s4zt/faa_groun...

Stopping life flights though? The supposed risk of cartels shooting down a helicopter vs the immediate risk of "this guy is going to die if we don't fly him to the nearest trauma center"... That risk calculus doesn't make sense.

Re: Officials Claim Drone Incursion Led to Shutdown of El Paso Airport

#60

Post by donkeybeer »

sph wrote: post #56
donkeybeer wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Cuba could be one. While Florida is closer, it's possible due to El Paso being considered highly isolated.

If it is for a military reason (very doubtful at this point), there is a country that is literally 0 miles away from El Paso.

Mexico is also possible.
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