lol. These guys are talking about using the RQ-170 when they have no expirience in the ISR field. Fielding it should be a pain the a$$ for them.
RQ-170 Operations Support Analyst Job Opening at Engility Corporation in Langley Air Force Base, VA
Possible theory: The pilot/operators considered destroying the payload so it won't compromise future rq-170 missions. Lookie, the underside is destroyed.
I doubt that. Remember UAVs do not store data on their 'hard drives'. It is transfered to the ground command station. UAVs in expeditionary forces do not use encrypted signals when taking off or landing (because they aren't deployed with a certain type of kit) , and can be easily sky grabbed...
Yeah I agree Iran could do it, but they cannot replicate how to manufacture the UAV. LO technology is not new to the US. When it's a breakthrough, it's usually new ways for manufacturing LO airframes. Especially in a rapid timeline, such as the RQ-170.