China seizes U.S. Naval drone

[Bengalzona]

In a bizarre incident in the South China Sea today, a U.S. Navy research vessel was retrieving an ocean glider research drone when a Chinese warship approached and swiped the second drone the U.S. ship was to pick up.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/12/16/505850933/china-seizes-unmanned-u-s-underwater-vehicle-in-international-waters?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=2044

Quote:China has seized an unmanned underwater vehicle deployed by a U.S. Navy ship in international waters, according to Pentagon officials.

The seizure of the underwater vehicle took place Thursday, about 50 nautical miles northwest of Subic Bay in the Philippines, Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said in a statement Friday.

The situation is unusual: U.S. Navy Capt. Jeff Davis told journalists there was no precedent for it in recent memory, NPR's Tom Bowman reports.

The Pentagon said the USNS Bowditch, an oceanographic survey ship, had two unclassified "ocean gliders" — unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) — in the water, conducting "routine operations in accordance with international law." The undersea drones measure things like salinity and temperature.

The Bowditch was retrieving one vehicle when a Chinese warship pulled up, put a small boat in the water and retrieved the second UUV, officials told reporters.

In South China Sea Islands, Anti-Aircraft And Radar Systems Emerge In Full Color
THE TWO-WAY
In South China Sea Islands, Anti-Aircraft And Radar Systems Emerge In Full Color
The U.S. sent radio messages requesting that the drone be returned, the Pentagon statement said, but the Chinese ship merely acknowledged the messages and ignored the request.

No shots were fired by either vehicle, officials said, and the Chinese ship left with a final message that it was returning to normal operations — and with the drone.

The U.S. has issued a demarche — a formal diplomatic protest — and demanded the drone's return, Reuters reports.

"We call upon China to return our UUV immediately, and to comply with all of its obligations under international law," Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said in his statement.

The incident occurred in the long-disputed waters of the South China Sea, where several countries have various overlapping territorial claims. China has been the most aggressive in claiming the strategically and economically significant waters as its own.

Competing Claims In The South China And East China Seas



Notes

These are the approximate claims by China and other countries. In many cases, countries are intentionally vague about the extent of their claims.
Credit: Katie Park / NPR

Satellite photos taken in the past few weeks appear to show a significant defense buildup on China's artificial islands in the South China Sea. Beijing uses the artificial islands as part of the justification for China's territorial claims — which were invalidated by an international tribunal in The Hague months ago.

That ruling is "legally binding, but all but impossible to enforce," as NPR's Anthony Kuhn put it at the time.

The drone seizure also comes amid fresh tensions between China and the U.S., following moves by President-elect Donald Trump that have unsettled decades of diplomatic protocol.

Trump spoke with Taiwan's president by phone earlier this month, and told Fox News he "wouldn't feel bound by a one-China policy" — the policy holding that Taiwan is part of China, which China considers essential for diplomatic relations. China responded to Trump's latter comments by expressing "serious concerns."

NPR's Rob Schmitz wrote last month that it's hard to tell how Trump's presidency will affect relations with China, which has been spending "more than ever" to expand its military capabilities.

He noted that one Trump adviser said Trump would beef up the U.S. fleet to defend U.S. trade in the South China Sea — which directly conflicts with Trump's campaign rhetoric.

The incident also could impact U.S. diplomatic relations with the Philippines.

The U.S. and the Philippines, a former U.S. colony, have been closely tied for decades; the two countries are treaty allies. In recent years, a rise in tensions between Manila and Beijing has led to a growing U.S. military presence in the Philippines.

But the Philippines' new president, Rodrigo Duterte, has signaled a shift away from the U.S. and made overtures to China.

"There's no doubt Duterte is trying to reset the Philippines' fractious relationship with China, a falling-out based largely on Beijing's recent territorial moves in the South China Sea," Michael Sullivan reported for NPR this fall. "But there's also little doubt that Manila's relationship with Washington is on the rocks — and not just because of U.S. criticism of Duterte's war on drugs, which has left more than 3,000 dead since the president took office in June."

One expert told Sullivan that there's widespread belief in the Philippines that the U.S. commitment to the Philippines is "limited," and would not extend to substantive assistance for Manila in a real conflict with Beijing.

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

Kinda reminds me of this

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan_Island_incident

[Bengalzona]

(12-16-2016, 03:45 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: Kinda reminds me of this

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hainan_Island_incident

Exactly.

This is turning into the new Cold War, eh.

[Dill]

(12-16-2016, 04:22 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: Exactly.

This is turning into the new Cold War, eh.

Timing again. this may be more about testing Trump, catching the US while the bus is changing drivers.

The Hainan incident occurred right after Bush took office.

[Mike M (the other one)]

Of course it's all about timing. Obama and Trump are pretty much both poweless to do much of anything at the moment. By the time Trump gets inaugurated, they will have disassembled it and taken the technology they want, so it won't be a big deal to return it then.

[Bengalzona]

(12-17-2016, 02:52 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: Of course it's all about timing. Obama and Trump are pretty much both poweless to do much of anything at the moment. By the time Trump gets inaugurated, they will have disassembled it and taken the technology they want, so it won't be a big deal to return it then.

From what I've heard, it isn't all that advanced. They use this drone to measure waves and water temperatures. It is not weaponized.

I think this is more like the way some American Indians used to have a 'game' where young warriors were supposed to prove their bravery by sneaking into a rival tribes' camp alone and stealing horses or other things (BTW- Is that the origin of the phrase "Counting Crow"?). I think the Chinese sort of wanted the publicity more than anything. 

Edit: It is "Counting Coup", not "Counting Crow". Counting Crow is the band.

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

(12-17-2016, 03:05 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: From what I've heard, it isn't all that advanced. They use this drone to measure waves and water temperatures. It is not weaponized.

I think this is more like the way some American Indians used to have a 'game' where young warriors were supposed to prove their bravery by sneaking into a rival tribes' camp alone and stealing horses or other things (BTW- Is that the origin of the phrase "Counting Crow"?). I think the Chinese sort of wanted the publicity more than anything. 

At least that is the official story. 

[Bengalzona]

(12-17-2016, 04:18 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: At least that is the official story. 

That's the government story and their sticking to it... at least until proven wrong by Russia. 

[Bengalzona]

Donald Trump tweeted today that the act was "unpresidented".

[GMDino]

(12-17-2016, 11:38 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: Donald Trump tweeted today that the act was "unpresidented".

He doesn't trust auto-correct.  Very biased. Who is correcting the auto correctors?!?!?

[Vas Deferens]

(12-18-2016, 12:03 PM)GMDino Wrote: He doesn't trust auto-correct.  Very biased. Who is correcting the auto correctors?!?!?

Daddy's a dumb ****

[Dill]

(12-17-2016, 02:52 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: Of course it's all about timing. Obama and Trump are pretty much both poweless to do much of anything at the moment. By the time Trump gets inaugurated, they will have disassembled it and taken the technology they want, so it won't be a big deal to return it then.

Rats. Now they will be able to measure water temperature just as accurately as we do.

We are falling behind again . . . .

[GMDino]

(12-17-2016, 02:52 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: Of course it's all about timing. Obama and Trump are pretty much both poweless to do much of anything at the moment. By the time Trump gets inaugurated, they will have disassembled it and taken the technology they want, so it won't be a big deal to return it then.

Already returning it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/17/world/asia/china-us-drone.html?_r=0

While PE Trump was wagging his wee wee on twitter about it the adults handled it.

Get used to that sentence for the next 4-8 years.

[Mike M (the other one)]

(12-17-2016, 03:05 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: From what I've heard, it isn't all that advanced. They use this drone to measure waves and water temperatures. It is not weaponized.

I think this is more like the way some American Indians used to have a 'game' where young warriors were supposed to prove their bravery by sneaking into a rival tribes' camp alone and stealing horses or other things (BTW- Is that the origin of the phrase "Counting Crow"?). I think the Chinese sort of wanted the publicity more than anything. 

Edit: It is "Counting Coup", not "Counting Crow". Counting Crow is the band.

Technology is paid for by someone. If they didn't have it before, they have it now.
I'm sure they still took it apart to make sure it was what we said it was.

"which Chinese and American analysts say was most likely used to gather intelligence about Chinese submarine activity in contested waters, would be returned, or if it would be handed back intact."

Doesn't seem so innocent now.

[Bengalzona]

(12-19-2016, 01:12 PM)Mike M (the other one) Wrote: Technology is paid for by someone. If they didn't have it before, they have it now.
I'm sure they still took it apart to make sure it was what we said it was.

"which Chinese and American analysts say was most likely used to gather intelligence about Chinese submarine activity in contested waters, would be returned, or if it would be handed back intact."

Doesn't seem so innocent now.

Do you always buy what other countries say over what our military says?

BTW - Chinese subs aren't that hard to find.

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

(12-19-2016, 01:57 PM)Bengalzona Wrote: Do you always buy what other countries say over what our military says?

BTW - Chinese subs aren't that hard to find.

Our military is part of the establishment. China is an outsider. Drain the swamp!

[*michaelsean*]

(12-18-2016, 10:28 PM)GMDino Wrote: Already returning it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/17/world/asia/china-us-drone.html?_r=0

While PE Trump was wagging his wee wee on twitter about it the adults handled it.

Get used to that sentence for the next 4-8 years.

Not for nothing, but what exactly should Trump have done about it?

[Griever]

(12-19-2016, 02:22 PM)oncemoreuntothejimbreech Wrote: Our military is part of the establishment. China is an outsider. Drain the swamp!

we need more goldman sachs bankers, STAT

[BmorePat87]

I enjoyed someone from the Trump team taking credit for Trump getting it back only to see Trump tweet for China to keep it after the Pentagon stated that they resolved it through direct communications with China.

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

"We should tell China that we don't want the drone they stole back.- let them keep it!"