don't mess with the Marines!

[Kathyp]

Two California Highway Patrol Officers were conducting speeding

enforcement on I-15, just north of the Marine Corps Air Station at

Miramar.  One of the officers was using a hand held radar device to

check speeding vehicles approaching the crest of a hill.



The officers were suddenly surprised when the radar gun began reading

300 miles per hour.  The officer attempted to reset the radar gun, but

it would not reset and then turned off.  Just then a deafening roar

over the treetops revealed that the radar had in fact locked on to a

USMC F/A-18 Hornet which was engaged in a low flying exercise near the

location.



Back at the CHPs Headquarters the Patrol Captain fired off a complaint

to the USMC Base Commander.



The reply came back in true USMC style: "Thank you for your letter.

We can now complete the file on this incident. You may be interested

to know that the tactical computer in the Hornet had detected the

presence of, and subsequently locked on to, your hostile radar

equipment and automatically sent a jamming signal back to it, which is

why it shut down.



Furthermore, an Air-to-Ground missile aboard the fully armed aircraft

had also automatically locked on to your equipment location.

Fortunately, the Marine Pilot flying the Hornet recognized the

situation for what it was, quickly responded to the missile system

alert status and was able to override the automated defense system

before the missile was launched to destroy the hostile radar position.



The pilot also suggests you cover your mouths when cussing at them,

since the video systems on these jets are very high tech. Sergeant

Johnson, the officer holding the radar gun, should get his dentist to

check his left rear molar. It appears the filling is loose.  Also, the

snap is broken on his holster.



Thank you for your concern."



Semper Fi.

[poka-bee]

Oh that is just toooo funny!  I'll be chuckling all morning! :-D :evil:
Jody

[Understudy]

Now that one I am saving :)

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[buzzbeejr]

note to self... keep radar equpment out of range of fighter jets unless authorized.

[Brian D. Bray]

BTW, the radar used by both the CHPs and the USMC is the same--doppler.  The difference is that the USMC radar shows location, distance, speed, and position relative to origin while the CHPs radar has been modified to only display speed.  The upshot is that the CHPs radar cannot distinguish individual targets and so citiations issued must be determined by inadequately trained operators.  Many radar citations are issued in error.  An Ex-cop, former MP, and father of a former Marine.

[JP]

One of my good customers told me that during Katrina he had a few planes or copters flying over his house. Three weeks later he had a knock at his door and a man from some military division inquiring if he and his wife needed anything and if all was well. He said they had been checking on them with infrared imagery after the hurricane.


...JP

[Kathyp]

i had heard they were doing that.  going house to house and cutting holes in the roof was getting to time consuming and they were afraid they  had missed people who were still alive.  there were also places that they had not been into, or places that had not been throughly searched.  when the equipment came in, they put it to use hoping they would be able to find people who were in need.

this technology has also been used to id marijuana growing operations in homes  :-)