Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- [When you get past the disingenuous window-dressing about avoiding collateral damage - as though they care about civilian deaths - the true reason for the Royal Air Force purchasing 400 million pounds worth of satellite-guided bombs becomes evident: "RAF pilots...frequently returned to base with full loads because the lasers could not penetrate could cover." They can't be wasting precious fuel without destroying something or killing someone.] Sunday Telegraph August 5, 2001 RAF to buy £400m all-weather bombs By Macer Hall THE RAF is to spend up to £400 million on new satellite-guided bombs after its laser-targeted weapons were heavily criticised during the Kosovo crisis for failing to work in cloudy weather. RAF pilots often returned with their Paveway bombs as cloud often obscured the laser designator Senior officers at the Ministry of Defence want a weapon that can be dropped in all weather conditions, accurately destroying military targets while avoiding civilian casualties. This autumn, they will ask defence firms in Britain, Europe and America to bid for the contract to supply the bombs. Tornado, Harrier and Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft are to be armed with the weapon, which is due to come into service by 2006. Air Cdre Alan Waldron, the RAF's Director of Air Operations, said: "This is the manifestation of the fact that we are learning the lessons of Kosovo." In a change of policy for the RAF, the bombs are expected to be smaller than the standard 1,000lb weapons used in the past. Air chiefs believe that less destructive power but more accuracy is the key to modern warfare. Wg Cdr Peter Barker, who is heading the procurement team for the project, said that MoD scientists had carried out computer simulations to test the smaller bombs. He said: "I don't think it is surprising that if a precision-guided bomb is dropped with the accuracy that we expect of it, it can destroy a target as effectively as an unguided 1,000lb device. It can also significantly reduce the potential for collateral damage around the target area." During the war in the Balkans, ministers claimed that the "pinpoint" precision of laser-guided weapons would destroy Serbian military targets but avoid civilian casualties and damage to non-military buildings. RAF pilots, however, frequently returned to base with full bomb loads because the lasers could not penetrate cloud cover. Large numbers of unguided "dumb" bombs were dropped instead, but an MoD report later revealed that only two per cent of these hit their targets. While RAF pilots were praised for their heroism, critics - including the House of Commons defence select committee - said that British aircraft had minimal impact during the 78-day bombing campaign. As a stop-gap measure, the MoD is already adapting up to 1,000 of the RAF's laser-guided Paveway II bombs so that they are linked to the Global Positioning System, a network of orbiting satellites that provides data for navigation equipment. The US Air Force uses a GPS-guided bomb system known as Jdam (Joint Direct Attack Munitions) designed by Boeing. Buying Jdam would be one option for the the RAF. Nick Cook, the aerospace consultant at Jane's Defence Weekly magazine, said: "This is driven by the cost of RAF experience in the Balkans. Satellite guidance gives the ability to bomb in all weathers, which did not happen in Kosovo. "However, the RAF may want to retain some laser-guided bombs because they are more accurate than satellite systems." __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Make international calls for as low as $.04/minute with Yahoo! Messenger http://phonecard.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: archive@jab.org T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
