Friday, February 22, 2013

A foreign solution to domestic drone surveillance?


There have been all sorts of objections to the domestic deployment of UAV's and other drones, based largely on civil rights and privacy considerations.  The White House's 'kill list' has recently reignited controversy over this point.


A USAF MQ-9 Reaper UAV armed with 2 GBU-12 'smart bombs' and 4 Hellfire missiles
(image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)


In this light, it's perhaps ironic that an Al Qaeda list of 22 ways to avoid drone surveillance and attack has just been discovered in Mali.  The Telegraph provides a full transcript of the list, including techniques such as the following (translation as per original, with deficiencies not corrected):

  • Jamming of and confusing of electronic communication using old equipment and keeping them 24-hour running because of their strong frequencies and it is possible using simple ideas of deception of equipment to attract the electronic waves devices similar to that used by the Yugoslav army when they used the microwave (oven) in attracting and confusing the Nato missiles fitted with electromagnetic searching devices.
  • Discovering the presence of a drone through well-placed reconnaissance networks and to warn all the formations to halt any movement in the area.
  • To hide under thick trees because they are the best cover against the planes.
  • To stay in places unlit by the sun such as the shadows of the buildings or the trees.
  • Formation of fake gatherings such as using dolls and statutes to be placed outside false ditches to mislead the enemy.

There are many more at the link.  Interesting - and, sad to say, potentially useful - reading.

Peter

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