SK officials claims they did not violated NK airspace

An official from the South Korean military has dismissed the reporting from KCNA regarding that a South Korean Heron UAV had entered its airspace on four occasions this week, qualifying it as "untrue".

The NK claim is really laughly, bearing in mind that in recent weeks Pyongyang has ratcheted up military tension through a series of ballistic missile tests, which many observers qualify them as an evidence that NK is on course to develop a longer-range missile capable of perform a nuclear hit not only on SK but even the U.S. mainland.

Of course, again NK blamed the South for escalating military tensions, warning of a "merciless retaliatory response." ¿Should SK be worried about that threat? Well, NK month after month is firing missiles, so it is really stupid qualify the alleged violation as "grave", even more bearing in mind that in last 14th May NK has fired-tested a missile which experts think could have a range of 5.000 kilometers.

Last, but not least: If that claim is certain... and both countries are officially in war state... ¿Why NK did not shoot it down? 

The Face of the Bubbling Armed UAV Industry

The extensive use of UAVs by the US in Iraq and Afghanistan has raised debates over issues like civilian deaths, international law, efficacy of strikes and deterrence.

The Israeli Air Force used a weaponized drone, the Pioneer, in the 1982 war in Lebanon which impressed US for increased UAV procurement and research. Nineteen years after, the 9\11 terrorist attack created a new demand to hunt down terrorists in remote areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Today, the US uses three types of drones built by General Atomics with offensive capabilities: the MQ-1 Predator, the MQ-1C Sky Warrior, and the MQ-9 Reaper. The US military uses them in two broad ways: Reconnaissance and hunter-killer missions.

Drone surveillance and attack capabilities have been effective psychologically as fear keeps also plays a major part. While drone attacks are the most effective weapon against terrorism, its net effects are difficult to judge. The presence of armed drones is a reality of the modern battlefield, but only a limited group of countries has the technological ability to produce them or the military capacity to operate them.

Currently, US and China export armed drones, and Israel is in the vicinity. As Russia, Turkey, South Korea and others join the market, a surge in globally available systems for a fruitful market could lead to a new dangerous era.

(Read more...)