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NATOSource

Feb 13, 2013

Nearly 450 British military drones lost in Iraq and Afghanistan

By Nick Hopkins, Guardian

From Nick Hopkins, Guardian:  Almost 450 drones operated by the British military have crashed, broken down or been lost in action during operations in Afghanistan and Iraq over the last five years, figures reveal.

Drones Technology & Innovation

New Atlanticist

Feb 7, 2013

Whole Drone Program Deserves Scrutiny

By Danya Greenfield

John Brennan’s confirmation hearing for CIA Director is stirring up renewed debate on the use of drone strikes as a centerpiece of US counterterrorism strategy and, specifically, the legal grounding for targeting US citizens. 

Drones Security & Defense

NATOSource

Feb 4, 2013

Secret legal review argues that Obama has power to launch a pre-emptive cyber strike

By David Sanger and Thom Shanker, New York Times

From David Sanger and Thom Shanker, New York Times:  A secret legal review on the use of America’s growing arsenal of cyberweapons has concluded that President Obama has the broad power to order a pre-emptive strike if the United States detects credible evidence of a major digital attack looming from abroad, according to officials involved […]

Cybersecurity Drones

NATOSource

Jan 29, 2013

Report: Pentagon planning new drone base in western Africa

By Robert Burns, AP

From Robert Burns, AP:  Plans to base unarmed American surveillance drones in the African nation of Niger highlight the Obama administration’s growing concern about extremist influences in the volatile region.

Drones Technology & Innovation

NATOSource

Jan 25, 2013

Germany Plans to Deploy Armed Drones

By Veit Medick, Spiegel

From Veit Medick, Spiegel:  Bowing to pressure from the German armed forces, the Bundeswehr, the federal government in Berlin is preparing to deploy armed, unmanned drones in foreign conflicts.

Drones Technology & Innovation

New Atlanticist

Jan 18, 2013

Are Drones Really Working?

By Danya Greenfield

President Obama’s nomination of John Brennan, who currently serves as the White House Senior Advisor for Counterterrorism, should occasion a debate regarding how the United States can best confront, respond to, or mitigate our most pressing security challenges, including the current counterterrorism strategy. In particular, John Brennan’s nomination as CIA director should spur re-evaluation of […]

Drones National Security

NATOSource

Jan 11, 2013

Video: First test flight of Germany’s EuroHawk, Europe’s largest drone

By Northrup Grumman)

From Northrup Grumman):  Northrop Grumman Corporation and EADS Deutschland GmbH, operating through Cassidian, together achieved a major milestone today with the first full system test flight of the EURO HAWK® unmanned aircraft system (UAS)

Drones Technology & Innovation

NATOSource

Jan 4, 2013

General Dynamics Canada awarded contract for NATO UAV program

By General Dynamics Canada

From General Dynamics Canada:  General Dynamics Canada has been awarded a CA$32 million contract by Northrop Grumman Corporation for key communications network technology for the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) program. Under this contract, General Dynamics Canada will provide the software that will control the AGS Communications Ground Control System (CGCS). The CGCS will manage […]

Drones Technology & Innovation

NATOSource

Dec 17, 2012

Britain’s drone air force decimated by pilot error

By Robert Verkaik, Daily Mail

From Robert Verkaik, Daily Mail:  Nearly half of Britain’s top-secret military drones deployed in Afghanistan have crashed – many because of pilot error.

Drones Technology & Innovation

New Atlanticist

Dec 6, 2012

Drone Strike on Democracy

By James Joyner

As a theoretical matter, remotely piloted vehicles are simply a tool of warfare, morally indistinguishable from manned aircraft. The more efficiently the United States can target and kill its enemies, the better. And drones are cheaper to operate, carry far less risk for American military personnel, and make it easier to collect operational intelligence than their manned […]

Drones National Security

Experts