Live missile found at small Florida airport

[yortsed snacilbuper]

Lakeland Linder International Airport director Eugene Conrad said the transportation center has hosted inactive missiles in the past in connection with its tenant Draken International, a military services firm, according to The Tampa Bay Times.

But the appearance of the live French S-530 air-to-air missile last Friday came as an explosive discovery. According to The Tampa Bay Times, Conrad said: “this is a first.”

“It is secured and safe, and they are just waiting on when and where they are going to dispose of the missile,” Lt. Brandon Hanner, a spokesperson at the air force base, told The Ledger newspaper.

link

[Nevilledog]

1. Shit.... That's where I left it.

[rampartc]

2. should there maybe be arrests, or ":persons of interest?"

or does this one belong to right wing terrorists>

[mitch96]

3. Reminds me of an incident where a gent bought a MIG-29 from an eastern block country

When it landed in Germany it was fully functional.. I mean fully. It was fully armed!!! ready to fight.. oops...
m

[lostnfound]

4. Drakes international is a private provider of tactical fighter aircraft for contract

Founded in Florida in 2012. Given $680 Million contract in 2018. Now “the largest fleet of privately owned former military tactical jet aircraft in the world”.
Something about pop-up companies that manage to amass a large collection of military equipment in eight short years that bothers me.

From their own website: http://www.drakenintl.com/about-us

WITH A FLEET OF 150 TACTICAL FIGHTER AIRCRAFT, DRAKEN OWNS AND OPERATES THE WORLD’S LARGEST COMMERCIAL FLEET OF TACTICAL EX-MILITARY AIRCRAFT. DRAKEN SUPPORTS MILITARY TRAINING OBJECTIVES AROUND THE GLOBE, PROVIDING TREMENDOUS COST SAVINGS OVER THE USE OF TRADITIONAL MILITARY FIGHTER ASSETS. AS AN ORGANIZATION, WE ARE UNIQUELY POSITIONED TO ANSWER THE GROWING DEMAND FOR CONTRACT AIR SUPPORT.
Largest Fleet of tactical ex-military fighter jets
Subsonic and Supersonic radar equipped jets
Massive capacity & capabilities available for worldwide deployment
Only commercial provider with 4th Gen Capabilities
- APG-66 and Grifo-L Radars, RWR sensors, HUD, HOTAS, 1553 Bus, compatible w/ TGP, EW/EA using US/NATO Pods
Wide range of mission sets
Fully operational with air-to-air refueling. Including probe equipped aircraft and “buddy stores” for in-house tanking.
Performing missions for F-35 JOTT, USAF, USMC, USN, ANG and our international allies
4-5x more cost effective than current military fighter aircraft, 10x more than 5th gen+ airframe

From Wikipedia

Draken International, LLC is an American provider of tactical fighter aircraft for contract air services including military and defense industry customers. The firm is based at the Lakeland Linder International Airport in Lakeland, Florida and also has an operating base at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.
Key people‎: ‎Joe Ford, Chief Executive Officer ...
Founded‎: ‎Florida, USA‎, 2012
Headquarters‎: ‎Lakeland, Florida‎, USA
Founder‎: ‎Jared Isaacman

With some 70 jets, the company operates the largest fleet of privately owned former military tactical jet aircraft in the world. The company's fleet includes:

13 Douglas A-4K/N Skyhawks
23 Aero L-159E ALCA
22 Dassault Mirage F1M/B
12 Atlas Cheetah C/D

[lostnfound]

5. Very interesting profile of company founder

https://www.fastcompany.com/3044942/meet-the-fighter-jet-flying-32-year-old-on-top-of-the-payments-industry

[eppur_se_muova]

6. Yeah, just a li'l ole thing. Practically a toy. Can probably shoot down only one jetliner at a time.

What were they expecting, an ICBM ??