For some reason, I am now having images in my head of sailplanes, controlled by AI, flying almost as gliders (but they do have small, highly efficient engines and folding propellors), armed with a pair of .50 caliber machine guns, out over the Gulf, patrolling for Iranian Shaheed Drones.

Shooting them down over open water. Bullets that miss also end up in the drink.

Is that a not unreasonable idea, or do I need to check my medication doses (again)?

By Mike Erickson (Mike_Erickson) on Thursday, March 19, 2026 - 06:02 pm: Edit

Makes perfect sense to me. It's just using a drone to defeat another drone. An anti-drone if you will. Ukraine is already using these to a certain extent, and developing more.

Conceptually it's the same idea as a SAM. Using a missile to eliminate an incoming enemy missile.

The anti-drones may shoot a gun, or emit jamming, or explode at close range, or who knows? It's just the ongoing drone arms race. The drone tech is so easy and inexpensive to work with that the innovation comes very naturally to creative thinkers.

--Mike

By MarkSHoyle (Bolo) on Thursday, March 19, 2026 - 06:36 pm: Edit

When you include ammo,
I would think a 5.56 mini gun
would be a better weight to power
ratio...
Also, little to no recoil....

By Jeff Anderson (Jga) on Thursday, March 19, 2026 - 10:31 pm: Edit

A "Drone Arms Race," Drone vs. Anti-Drone Drone, can be a good thing

Iran would have to devote a portion of its increasingly remote budget to developing and building newer, more capable drones, and those drones will have a higher cost per unit, so fewer of them will be built.

At least that's my... Thinking?

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 08:27 am: Edit

Mojtaba seems to be recovering in Moscow and might never have been awake since he was injured three weeks ago.

Saudi Arabia is debating whether to send troops into coastal Iran.

Seven US allies including the UK have agreed to send forces to temporarily or perhaps permanently seize control of the Straits of Hormuz. Four days earlier all had refused to do so.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 08:35 am: Edit

Finland, Estonia, and Ukraine are all offering forces to help in Gulf security.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 09:12 am: Edit

Iran publicly executed teenage protesters on false charges.

By Carl-Magnus Carlsson (Hardcore) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 10:32 am: Edit

SVC, found nothing online about "Seven US allies including the UK have agreed to send forces to temporarily or perhaps permanently seize control of the Straits of Hormuz. Four days earlier all had refused to do so."
Do you have source?

By Eric Snyder (Esnyder) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 11:12 am: Edit

This is the closest I found: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/joint-statement-from-the-leaders-of-the-united-kingdom-france-germany-italy-the-netherlands-and-japan-on-the-strait-of-hormuz-19-march-2026

By Dana Madsen (Madman) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 12:27 pm: Edit

I saw the statement issued as well, you can search for "joint statement by france germany uk japan canada strait of hormuz" and it will come up with multiple articles. Canada signed on as well to make the seventh country.

The commentary I saw, I think on Bloomberg, said they put this out to be nice and let Pres Trump say other nations are coming to help, but at this time they will likely slow walk any implementation or putting actual ships in the strait until the overhead air/drone war is over. ie, they are willing to help escort ships, once there is no longer a need to escort ships. Or once the danger is gone, they'll run some minesweepers through there to make sure nothing was left. But the odds yesterday that they are going to actually put their own naval ships at risk of drones is low.

That was the stance I saw yesterday, that may change as oil/nat gas prices go up further or back room talks have more opportunity to progress.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 01:16 pm: Edit

The UAE broke up an Iranian spy ring that was doing money laundering and trying to destabilize the Gulf economy.

Hegseth asked Congress for $200 billion dollars in supplemental war funding.

The US is sending three warships and 2500 Marines to the Gulf. This might be just a normal MEU rotation.

Iran launched dozens of missiles to celebrate the Zoroastrian Fire Festival, one of Shia Islam’s holiest holidays. Shia Islam celebrates all of the Zoroastrian holidays because Iran was Zoroastrian before Islam arrived. This is one of the differences between Shia and Sunni.

Iran says it still has at least one factory building new missiles.

Iraq broke up an Iranian/Hezbollah spy cell planning violent attacks.

By Carl-Magnus Carlsson (Hardcore) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 01:16 pm: Edit

Tnx, Eric.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 01:18 pm: Edit

Carl, it was on several news channels repeated on YouTube. Hard to find now. I wish YouTube had a list of the last 25 things I had watched.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 01:25 pm: Edit

Silver is going up and down with volatility. Coin shops, which previously paid a dollar or two under spot and sold for a dollar or two over spot, are now offering sell for $8 or $10 over spot and will pay $8 or $10 under spot. This is to protect themselves from volatility. A few shops are selling at $4 over for generic rounds. Premium rounds are $10-15 over.

By Carl-Magnus Carlsson (Hardcore) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 01:57 pm: Edit

Dana, that is how Bloomberg choose to present it, but the diplomatically worded declaration is directed at all parties

"We call on all states to respect international law and uphold the fundamental principles of international prosperity and security."

Trump and Netanyahu didn't ask anyone for permission to attack Iran. Things would have been different if they had the green light from the Security council (or at least made the effort). If they have a UN mandate then the issue have been discussed and the wisest (hopefully) course of action been decided upon. That matters in democratic Nations. This is why they talk about UN resolutions and International law.

"The Trump administration is waging an illegal war on Iran, one that defies both the US constitution and international armed conflict laws, according to several legal scholars and bipartisan lawmakers." The Guardian

Given this sending forces to actually help the US would be a war crime. NO IT WOULD NOT. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. No doubt the leaders of these nations have little appetite for that.


IMHO, This joint(!) declaration is as close to shouting displeasure these nations will come. Next step is to recall ambassadors for "consultations" etc.

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 02:28 pm: Edit

Carl-magnus Carlsson:

Item #1. The united states is not a signatory to the treaty of Rome or the ICC (international Criminal Court.)

Item#2. Just saying that an individual or a nation is committing war crimes is abjectly meaningless.

The Nuremberg trials after World War 2 being the standard, only a nation militarily defeated, and its leaders and soldiers brought to court, tried and convicted, would be the only individuals who can correctly by referred to as “convicted war criminals.”

it has to be asked, how do you propose to arrest The President of the United States, and just how do you expect to extradite him for trial?

Not to put too fine a point to it, if you tried, you would be literally attempting to kidnap a U.S. citizen.

I would have to look, but believe that is a crime in the U.S.

By Mike Erickson (Mike_Erickson) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 02:53 pm: Edit

>> Given this sending forces to actually help the US would be a war crime. No doubt the leaders of these nations have little appetite for that.

UNSCR 2817 and the global price of oil and natural gas may change this calculus.

--Mike

By Carl-Magnus Carlsson (Hardcore) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 04:12 pm: Edit

DELETED FOR FAILURE TO CAPITALIZE THE NAME OF THE PRESIDENT AS PER PREVIOUS DECLARATION. That is resistance code and not tolerated.

By Jeff Wile (Jswile) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 04:36 pm: Edit

Go ahead.

I would like to see you try.

By William Jockusch (Verybadcat) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 06:00 pm: Edit

There is a Wikipedia article entitled "Iranian external operations".

The bottom line is that Iran does not respect human life or national sovereignty in any country.

Given that, I'm not concerned about legal justification for the attack on Iran.

The Iranian operations in the USA easily justify a US attack, for example.

By Garth L. Getgen (Sgt_G) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 10:47 pm: Edit

Quote: I wish YouTube had a list of the last 25 things I had watched.

You can find them in the browser's history list.
I KNOW THAT. I GO SO MANY PLACES IN 24 HOURS IT EXCEEDS THE MEMORY. I WANT YOUTUBE TO DO IT. I COMPLAINED ENOUGH THAT I PERSONALLY FORCED THEM TO CHANGE THE “BLOCK THIS CHANNEL” SYSTEM.

Garth L. Getgen

By Carl-Magnus Carlsson (Hardcore) on Friday, March 20, 2026 - 11:48 pm: Edit

Oh, I see your warning now. Sorry i missed that while writing the post.

By Carl-Magnus Carlsson (Hardcore) on Saturday, March 21, 2026 - 12:09 am: Edit

Jeff Wile, "don't shoot the messenger" please.

By Carl-Magnus Carlsson (Hardcore) on Saturday, March 21, 2026 - 12:16 am: Edit

William, yes but shoot first and explain later isn't without consequences. The WH should have taken their case to UN.

I recall reading that the invasion of Iraq was legally covered beforehand using an interpretation of an earlier un resolution. That made it acceptable to the international community.

By Steve Cole (Stevecole) on Saturday, March 21, 2026 - 07:28 am: Edit

Taking the case to the UN….

UNCONTROLLABLE LAUGHTER