> > As the pace of drone operations has intensified in Djibouti, Air Force > mechanics have reported mysterious incidents in which the airborne robots > went haywire. > > In March 2011, a Predator parked at the camp started its engine without > any human direction, even though the ignition had been turned off and the > fuel lines closed. Technicians concluded that a software bug had infected > the “brains” of the drone, but never pinpointed the problem.
But at least the inmates running this asylum seem well-organized: “Frog” was the alias chosen by a major assigned to the Joint Special > Operations Command. At Lemonnier, he belonged to a special collection of > Navy SEALs, Delta Force soldiers, Air Force commandos and Marines known > simply as “the task force” ... > > Frog coordinated Predator hunts. He did not reveal his real name to anyone > without a need to know, not even the ground-crew supervisors and operators > and mechanics who cared for the Predators. The only contact came when Frog > or his friends occasionally called from their compound to say it was time > to ready a drone for takeoff or to prepare for a landing ... > > One secret that survived [a drone crash], however, was Frog’s identity. > The official Air Force panel assigned to investigate the Predator accident > couldn’t determine his real name, much less track him down for questioning. > > “Who is Frog?” one investigator demanded weeks later while interrogating a > ground crew member, according to a transcript. “I’m sorry, I was just > getting more explanation as to who Frog — is that a person? Or is that like > a position?” > > The crew member explained that Frog was a liaison officer from the task > force. “He’s a Pred guy,” he shrugged. “I actually don’t know his last > name.” http://wapo.st/UKtpNO -- "Hige sceal þe heardra, heorte þe cenre, mod sceal þe mare, þe ure mægen lytlað."
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