Dummy Hellfire missile mistakenly shipped to Cuba

[webfact]

Dummy Hellfire missile mistakenly shipped to Cuba
BRADLEY KLAPPER, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — A dummy U.S. Hellfire missile was mistakenly shipped from Europe to Cuba in 2014, The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday.

The inert missile did not contain any explosives, the Journal reported, but there are concerns that Cuba could share the technology with potential U.S. adversaries like North Korea or Russia.

The Journal report was attributed to anonymous "people familiar with the matter." A U.S. official with knowledge of the situation, who wasn't authorized to speak publicly on the matter and demanded anonymity, confirmed its veracity to The Associated Press.

According to the Defense Department, the Hellfire is a laser-guided, air-to-surface missile that weighs about 100 pounds. It can be deployed from an attack helicopter like the Apache or an unmanned drone like the Predator. It is manufactured by Lockheed Martin.

The U.S. official told the AP that Lockheed was authorized to export the dummy missile for a NATO training exercise. The official attributed the shipping error to Lockheed's freight forwarders, and said the U.S. was working with Lockheed to get the device back.

The official said the U.S. doesn't want any defense technology to remain in a proscribed country, whether that country can use it or not. The official said there is greater concern that Cuba could give more technically advanced countries access to the dummy.

According to the Journal report, the missile was properly shipped to Spain, where it was used in the training exercise. It was then taken on a somewhat roundabout journey through Spain, Germany and France before winding up at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. From there, it was supposed to have been shipped back to Florida; instead, it was loaded onto an Air France flight to Havana.

U.S. officials have been urging the Cuban government to return the missile, the Journal's sources said. The U.S. and Cuba restored diplomatic relations in July 2015 after more than 50 years of hostility.

The Journal reported that the U.S. is also investigating whether the missile's disappearance was a deliberate act of espionage.


-- (c) Associated Press 2016-01-08

[fakename]

Thats an understandable mistake, CUBA and FLORIDA are almost spelled the same, maybe the same zip code.

[oneday]

"...said the U.S. was working with Lockheed to get the device back..."

Shipped in 2014 and they are still working on getting it back.

[Doc46]

Probably Gone /copied and modified/improved and in use by now, Got to luv the stupids.

[ggt]

It is not the missiles that are the Dummies here...the US has a void in well educated people now...dumbed down over the years by programs designed to make students feel good while filling their heads with mush..."No child left behind"...means promoting uneducated students thru the system when they can not read and write well enough to fill out an employment application...

The US spends more money than most any other country in the world on education...yet it's students are ranked about 25th in the world...why is that?

Trying to make sure no one is treated special. (which the Dems promoted to gain minority support)..not promoting exceptional intellect...has produced a nation of average dummies...IMHO

Just look at the current state of the nation and the handling of foreign affairs...the current administration's continuous mis-adventures are just one case in point...

What is next? Sending billions of dollars to Iran? Drawing red lines? Promoting unsustainable universal healthcare coverage? Taking peoples guns so they are left defenceless? Using the IRS to harass organizations who are unsympathetic to the current administration? Writing laws by the stroke of a pen with total disregard to the Constitution and the people's elected representatives?

What he heck socialist country are we talking about here?