Drone fired Hellfire R9X missile that killed Al-Qaeda leader al-Zawahiri
Posted: Thu Aug 04, 2022 10:27 pm
by CentralTexasCrude
Secret new missile that's designed to shred the target and leave almost no collateral damage. It has no warhead like conventional missiles but deploys metal blades right before impact. Al-Zawahiri's body was shredded to pieces on his balcony while causing almost no damage to the building/
Hellfire R9X missile
Was supposedly used once before in 2017 against a top ISIS leader in Syria in his car
HowieTheHat wrote: ↑Fri Aug 05, 2022 10:40 am
Interesting, but I would question its "locating" ability? Without a warhead or any other exploding type device along for the ride, eliminating a "shotgun effect" of much wider proportions of damage and killing which, it would be hoped, would effect and kill the desired target....how then exactly would it seek out the target to within four or five feet to enable the blades to shred a target? One would think you would literally need to place a homing device ON the desired target.
As early as the 1980’s the US had TV guided bombs.
HowieTheHat wrote: ↑Fri Aug 05, 2022 10:40 am
Interesting, but I would question its "locating" ability? Without a warhead or any other exploding type device along for the ride, eliminating a "shotgun effect" of much wider proportions of damage and killing which, it would be hoped, would effect and kill the desired target....how then exactly would it seek out the target to within four or five feet to enable the blades to shred a target? One would think you would literally need to place a homing device ON the desired target.
TV guided bombs.
Explain please. I am kinda well versed in lots of things, but militaria I am not. TV??
TV camera in bomb. Operator picks target on screen. (Here we get options) bomb released and operator guides bomb to target or circuitry in bomb guides to target.
FSchmertz wrote: ↑Fri Aug 05, 2022 12:40 pm
If you can get somewhere near the target with a view, you can also laser designate.
But most likely this was a CIA guy in a control room remotely guiding it visually via satellite feed.
P.S. I pity the dudes that had to clean up after.
So, do you literally need to be within a range where you can see him to use whatever you use to aim it/guide it at him? If so...wouldn't a sharpshooter be much simpler and a ton less expensive than high tech missles? How do they designate the target if you can't see it? Not trying to be a prick...just curious.....I am naturally curious. And another bonus would be literally no collateral damage.
A sharpshooter requires you to have someone on the ground.
What's amazing about the missile is it's size. Only about the length (6-7 foot) of a man. Considering that until the last 1-2 decades when we started getting squeamish about collateral damage, we wouldn't think twice about about taking out a city block just to eliminate one target, the whole R&D development of this missile system has the "smell" of the Israeli Mossad. Fits the profile of just about every one of their covert missions.
FSchmertz wrote: ↑Fri Aug 05, 2022 12:40 pm
If you can get somewhere near the target with a view, you can also laser designate.
But most likely this was a CIA guy in a control room remotely guiding it visually via satellite feed.
P.S. I pity the dudes that had to clean up after.
So, do you literally need to be within a range where you can see him to use whatever you use to aim it/guide it at him? If so...wouldn't a sharpshooter be much simpler and a ton less expensive than high tech missles? How do they designate the target if you can't see it? Not trying to be a prick...just curious.....I am naturally curious. And another bonus would be literally no collateral damage.
A sharpshooter requires you to have someone on the ground.
FSchmertz wrote: ↑Fri Aug 05, 2022 12:40 pm
If you can get somewhere near the target with a view, you can also laser designate.
But most likely this was a CIA guy in a control room remotely guiding it visually via satellite feed.
P.S. I pity the dudes that had to clean up after.
So, do you literally need to be within a range where you can see him to use whatever you use to aim it/guide it at him? If so...wouldn't a sharpshooter be much simpler and a ton less expensive than high tech missles? How do they designate the target if you can't see it? Not trying to be a prick...just curious.....I am naturally curious. And another bonus would be literally no collateral damage.
A sharpshooter requires you to have someone on the ground.
I knew that but didn't feel like elaborating. Was just making a point.
Two someones, a spotter and a shooter.
Animal wrote: ↑Fri Aug 05, 2022 4:50 pm
i suspect they have one drone hovering somewhere nearby that is locking in the target for the missile.
Looked it up, and likely a CIA operator was remote-flying a MQ-9 Block 1-plus Reaper drone, using it to monitor the area and then launch the R9X missiles and guide them to the target.
Animal wrote: ↑Fri Aug 05, 2022 4:50 pm
i suspect they have one drone hovering somewhere nearby that is locking in the target for the missile.
Looked it up, and likely a CIA operator was remote-flying a MQ-9 Block 1-plus Reaper drone, using it to monitor the area and then launch the R9X missiles and guide them to the target.
Actually much much more intel work (weeks/months) went into this mission before that CIA operative was even handed the keys that day. Intel reported that the target had gotten into a habit/routine. At the end of every Sunday prayer, Al-Zawahiri liked to retire to his balcony for a pot of tea/coffee. To look over the city. After observing him do that every time, the mission was given the green light. Note to terrorists- if you are on someone's "Most Wanted" list, especially the US or Israel, don't develop any habits/routines. Ever.
