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0 pointsjessaustin12y ago0 comments

Well if this tactical situation goes like others have recently, it will more probably be a weird, cheap-ass, out-of-the-box attack that will dominate AWACS like roadside IEDs dominated Hum-vees. I don't know what that will be, but some possibilities are: network or systems hacks, airborne debris dispersal, swarm of cheap drones released inside the fighter shell, etc. The concept of a fighter escort perimeter reminds me of the firewall on a network boundary. That's not defense-in-depth, and by itself it doesn't work too well anymore.

Sure the space-borne laser or railgun is fun, but it's probably not the first thing that the Taliban or their equivalent will attempt. Unless they can find a way to hijack one that we've conveniently installed for them.

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rdtsc12y ago

Good point.

Yeah it seems big defense is building for two opponents. Strategic opponents -- basically anyone who has nukes and is not an friend.

Then there is a need to build for guerrilla warfare, roadside bombs, urban combat, target assassinations.

Recently the later seem to matter more. But big and high tech projects will get funding and will do so. Now the system is broken and often the only reason these projects get funded is because there is some defense contractor extending its hand waiting for the next $200M to keep profits up and people employed.

Now it would be interesting to research how to combat or counteract drones? What can someone in a poor country oppressed by a more powerful enemy with drones do to defend against them. Can they be detected easily?

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