Nice article news here:http://www.defencetalk.com/loss-of-stealth-drone-undermines-case-for-replacing-manned-systems-38830/

Deployed only in the mid-2000s the RQ-170 undoubtedly uses advanced stealth materials which Iran will certainly offer to countries such as Russia and China. If the vehicle was recovered intact, there is the risk of compromise to a host of very sensitive intelligence capabilities possibly including hyperspectral imaging systems, specialized listening devices, nuclear particle “sniffers” and communications encryption devices.

Read more: http://www.defencetalk.com/loss-of-stealth-drone-undermines-case-for-replacing-manned-systems-38830/#ixzz1g3c6qbVN

Imagine that in the middle of an air operation our entire fleet of combat UAVs suddenly turns around and heads back to base because of a loss of contact with their controllers. What would be a dropped call for a cell phone network becomes another Pearl Harbor. Then there is the problem of communications latency, the delay that can occur between a message being sent and its receipt. That may be tolerable for you or me in the midst of an e-mail chat but not in combat where seconds count.

Read more: http://www.defencetalk.com/loss-of-stealth-drone-undermines-case-for-replacing-manned-systems-38830/#ixzz1g3cNq9la

could it be a trojan hoarse….? :dev2:

crossed my mind few times this week.

Maybe US gives a “trojan” gift to Iran. Then Iran takes it to most secret facility for dissection and US gets the location of this facility via GPS. Would that be possible?

A hidden Wireless bug (long range) not detectable by Iranian scientists because it automatically turns ON and quickly OFF just for short moments to report location and transmit data. Is it likely that such transmission could go by undetected, while physical transmitter is well hidden in the frame?

USA would think more about Irans sudden capability to deliver object to USA via air undetected, which in todays world of terror is not acceptable to USA when it comest to any arab nation.

The Iranians are Persians not Arabs.

correct. I know. Wrong expression. I meant region wise. Middle east.

Imagine if it had been an Iranian spy drone/aircraft that had been shot down/brought down/crashed over the USA…….

thats what i thought too. Just imagine !! It flew over, somehow got to USA airspace without detection (east coast.. direction Washington DC or NYC)
Gets shot down, or fails somehow, and crashes.

what would happen the next day on the news, and what would happen to Iran within next 30 days?

opinions..

could it have been spotted visually? What altitude would it have been over Iran?

i don’t think anyone would say the RQ170 is the the most stealthy of designs. It is clearly designed for a very limited mission set and was built in a hurry so that the US could get something relatively stealthy over Afghanistan and its neighbours.

Having said that, I think we have to wait and see about what was brought down, before we start worrying about S300s:)

in that case RQ170 was designed to fly over IRAN primarily! Who else in that region would pose a threat with radar system that needs to be evaded by stealthy drone?

in any case one RQ170 is confirmed missing there.

Uhu..
Iran might wanna sell this thing.
Who would be the most likely byer, China or Russia?

Imagine they use it as a lever to get that S-300 systems from Russia..

hell yeh! Isn’t this THE most advanced stealthy UAV. Russians and Chinese would kill each other to get it. “S-300 no problem.. how many?” It has F-35 technology in it, wouldn’t you say?

this could be major turning point in many ways.

Hey, that page froze my computer for a bit and made it do a beep noise!

apparently one such drone was reported lost! Control of the drone was lost, and speculations are that Iran managed to jam it and crash it on their teritory. In any case its in Irans hands and it is the stealthy one ! Major technology has just been acquired!

shot dowmn or brought down – who cares if they made it crash intentionally.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/04/us-iran-usa-drone-idUSTRE7B30CQ20111204