Ghost of a flea: Sand People always travel single file

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November 19, 2007

Sand People always travel single file

A Royal Navy officer reportedly averted a friendly fire incident involving a Predator or Reaper UAV.

The UAV operator had been given clearance to engage the targets -- a group of 7-10 men -- in an operational theater. The men had been identified as hostile forces. The navy officer, believed to be working as part of a joint US-UK UAV force operating from Creech AFB, Nevada, noticed that the men, while dressed in local attire, did not actually walk in the same manner. This single observation led to the potential engagement being called off. The group were in fact special forces.

One comment suggests use of gait recognition software to help avert future incidents and anthropologists to teach our forces "local gaiting" to prevent hostile forces from recognizing them the same way this Royal Navy officer did. If only they had someone on hand who, for example, had taught nonverbal communication for a few years... Walk without rhythm and you won't attract the worm.

Posted by Ghost of a flea at November 19, 2007 07:17 AM

Comments

Interesting thing about this is that the bloke that noticed was on the other side of the world. I'm assuming. Unless UAVs are being used around the Nevada area.

Posted by: cha0tic at November 19, 2007 08:54 AM