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Was the crashed Roswell alien ship in 1947  really a Soviet spy plane  - new book's claim...





Was Area 51 developed after the controversial Roswell alien ship crash  theory in 1947? Was it actually a Soviet spy plane? New questions, new claims in Annie Jacobsen's book.

American journalist Annie Jacobsen  has apparently shocked even the most devoted conspiracy theorists with  new claims about  the controversial  "Area 51" installation in the Nevada desert 75 miles north of Las Vegas.

After decades of controversial discussion by other commentators,   Annie Jacobsen claims there were no weather balloons, no alien ship that crashed near Roswell, Mexico, in 1947, but perhaps a crashed  Soviet spy plane controlled by disfigured adolescents, two of whom initially survived. And she also strongly suggested they were formerly linked to infamous Nazi  scientist Doctor Mengele.

And Ms Jacobsen also claims that 'Area 51' engineers and pilots reverse-engineered  Soviet made MiG fighters and developed the present drones (unmanned aircraft) that have been used to bomb Afghanistan and Pakistan in recent years.

Dig around a little and the technology that spawned the Stealth aircraft of recent years will be revealed. While her accounts are reportedly strong and believeable, there is no credibility because the documents she discusses remain classified.

Related articles

• Were Soviets behind Roswell UFO? (cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com)
• New Book Claims Soviets Orchestrated Roswell UFO Scare (escapistmagazine.com)
• New Book Reports Soviets Behind Roswell UFO Scare (idle.slashdot.org)
• Is Alien Intrigue Really a Soviet-Era Psyop? (wired.com)
• Annie Jacobsen "Area 51″ (eyeonbooks.com)
• New Area 51 book offers 'uncensored history' (inquisitr.com)
• Book Claims Roswell Incident May Have Been Soviet Inspired (keatho.wordpress.com)
• "Roswell Incident Caused By Soviet Spy Plane - Absurd Claim" and related posts (depletedcranium.com)

New Zealand could patrol its home waters with "drone" spy planes...



Robotic "drone" spy planes flying by remote control could be used to patrol New Zealand's waters.

The Defence Force is keeping a "watching brief" over the unmanned planes, some of which have the range to conduct surveillance in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica, and in the Pacific Islands.

Drones are best known for their use to fire missiles against militants in Iraq and Afghanistan.

But their ability to spend up to 32 hours in the air and send back video images means they could take up the Air Force's role of monitoring New Zealand's exclusive economic zone and neighbouring waters for illegal fishing boats, and even search for lost vessels.

The New Zealand Army has developed its own hand-launched drone, the Kahu, which is almost ready for soldiers to use for "over the hill" observation in battlegrounds such as Afghanistan.

The head of the Army's capability staff, Colonel Phil Collett, said the Defence Force was assessing drones "to find out what questions we should be asking to become an informed customer".

The force "certainly thinks there is a place for this kind of technology", he said.

It was examining how drones could be used by the Navy, Army and Air Force.

Colonel Collett said drones ranged from "global roaming aircraft that can stay in the air for days at a time, to the type of things soldiers might use to look over the hill in front of them".

The Kahu - Maori for hawk - was a "home-grown" drone developed with private interests. It recently had a night flight.

Defence Minister Wayne Mapp said that as well as the "watching brief", drones would probably be considered in the upcoming Defence White Paper, which will shape the future function and resources of the armed forces.

Dr Mapp said the US Coastguard and Australian Government were looking at using drones for sea patrols.

The US Coastguard wants an unmanned helicopter that can be launched from ships, and Australia has tested several drones, including the long-range Global Hawk.

The Australian Government this month rushed through a multi-million-dollar deal to lease two mid-range Heron drones for use in Afghanistan, where its troops are already using the hand-launched version.

Its Air Force has said it aims to have another drone for maritime surveillance by next year.

Dr Mapp said the use of drones had been raised several times at public consultation meetings being held for the White Paper.

They were "clearly one of the things we have to think about", Dr Mapp said, but he did not want the White Paper "turning into a shopping list".

He said being unmanned did not make the drones cheap, as they still required a pilot and support crew on the ground.

He said a top-end version with satellite links would be needed to monitor New Zealand's exclusive economic zone which extends 370km from the shore and is one of the biggest in the world.

It becomes even bigger when international obligations in the Southern Ocean and Pacific are factored in.

Dr Mapp said two manned planes could do a similar job, "with the added advantage that you can change mission and throw a liferaft out".

Drone technology is advancing rapidly, and the US Air Force is now training more drone operators than fighter and bomber pilots in what is seen as a fundamental shift.

Dr Mapp said New Zealand needed military resources with flexibility, and the advances being made in that particular technology.

Such a role could prove to be part of New Zealand's role in future ANZAC combined military operations. New Zealand does not have, and probably could never afford in the future, combat aircraft. In such a military alliance, New Zealand's Orion patrol aircraft could be better utilised as well.

Acknowledgements: Patrick Gower, MSN.