French Media Bias
When will they learn proper terminology?
Allow me to explain, ladies and gentlemen. A surveillance aircraft, manned or unmanned, is a vehicle that collects data for processing. It could be video, radar, sound, whatever; any input that can be exploited for tactical, operational, or strategic purposes. When, and only when, that surveillance occurs covertly, within the borders of another country, without that country's knowledge, that surveillance craft becomes a spy plane.
For example, in 2001, the Chinese shot down an EP-3 Aries surveillance plane. That plane flew in full sight and within detection of the Chinese, hence their harassment of our aircraft by Chinese fighters. If this had been a spy plane, like the SR-71 Blackbird or the U-2 Dragon Lady, it wouldn't have been detected.
The term "spy plane" has certain connotations, and its use by the media paints a picture of Americans as acting like Big Brother, knowing your every move, keeping tabs on you no matter where you live. It's inappropriate, it's inaccurate, and it jerks my chain.
A unmanned US spy plane Monday thwarted an Iraqi rebel mortar attack on a sprawling US base, firing two missiles which killed 11 insurgents and wounded four more, the military said.
US forces "located two groups of attackers with a coalition unmanned aerial vehicle and engaged them," according to a US Army statement.
"A US Air Force Predator expended two Hellfire missiles against a mortar firing position in the vicinity of Balad" in central Iraq, the Air Force said for its part.
The Predator is a small remote-controlled drone aircraft which has been deployed in both Iraq and Afghanistan for surveillance purposes.
Allow me to explain, ladies and gentlemen. A surveillance aircraft, manned or unmanned, is a vehicle that collects data for processing. It could be video, radar, sound, whatever; any input that can be exploited for tactical, operational, or strategic purposes. When, and only when, that surveillance occurs covertly, within the borders of another country, without that country's knowledge, that surveillance craft becomes a spy plane.
For example, in 2001, the Chinese shot down an EP-3 Aries surveillance plane. That plane flew in full sight and within detection of the Chinese, hence their harassment of our aircraft by Chinese fighters. If this had been a spy plane, like the SR-71 Blackbird or the U-2 Dragon Lady, it wouldn't have been detected.
The term "spy plane" has certain connotations, and its use by the media paints a picture of Americans as acting like Big Brother, knowing your every move, keeping tabs on you no matter where you live. It's inappropriate, it's inaccurate, and it jerks my chain.
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