2 Hellfire Missles Discovered on Plane Bound for---Portland, OR?

Just came across this story, and wonder WTH is going on. The article states the Air Serbia flight originated from Beirut, and the weapons cargo was discovered when the flight landed at Belgrade Airport.

BELGRADE, Serbia — Serbia's authorities are investigating reports that a cargo package bound for Portland contained two missiles with explosive warheads on a passenger flight from Lebanon. N1 television said the package with two guided armor-piercing missiles was discovered Saturday by a sniffer dog after an Air Serbia flight from Beirut landed at Belgrade airport.

There aren't many details as to the origins or intent of the missiles uncovered, and what entity they were to be received by. Intercepting the Hellfires from it's intended destination may have kept them from being used for terror purposes. One things for sure, no good can come from the acquisition of weapons like these. I hope the handlers nic-nac-pattywhacked these dogs for their good work.
www.oregonlive.com...

The Lebanese government has been buying Hellfires for years now. They have several Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft that were modified to carry them. They approved the sale of 1,000 more of them last year. They also sold six Super Tucano attack aircraft to the Lebanese government.

No idea why they'd be going to Portland though. Lockheed's Hellfire work is done in Florida.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
The Lebanese government has been buying Hellfires for years now. They have several Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft that were modified to carry them. They approved the sale of 1,000 more of them last year. They also sold six Super Tucano attack aircraft to the Lebanese government.

No idea why they'd be going to Portland though. Lockheed's Hellfire work is done in Florida.

Thanks for posting the information. The reason for shipment to Portland and the intended recipient are what really intrigues me about this story. The obvious purpose, at least in my thinking, is for nefarious or terror purposes. One doesn't put on a condom unless...

a reply to: Boscowashisnamo

Lockheed Martin has a missile and fire control facility in Portland.

a reply to: Boscowashisnamo

Lots of shipping/industry hub in Portland.

This was too close to home!

a reply to: Boscowashisnamo

Lol.

Wow, then when they arent handled properly and explode or cause a fire, we say it was terrorists.

Lol

World, go home, you are drunk and insane.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Boscowashisnamo

Lockheed Martin has a missile and fire control facility in Portland.

The origin of transit and lack of info in the article led to supposition on my part. Pretty sad the first inclination in news like this leads to terrorism. The matter will be clarified with the bill of lading, or a doc detailing destination or recipient.

Considering the scant information in the link, I come away with bad ju-ju.

a reply to: Boscowashisnamo

I had no idea they had a facility up there until I dug into their jobs page and saw it. Their main missile facility is in Orlando, which is where the Hellfire production is at.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Boscowashisnamo

I had no idea they had a facility up there until I dug into their jobs page and saw it. Their main missile facility is in Orlando, which is where the Hellfire production is at.

So, were the missiles intercepted and held?
If they were going to Lockheed in Portland, there isn't really a story here. Slow news day in Belgrade?

a reply to: butcherguy

Eh, they always freak out when things are found on commercial flights instead of cargo flights. They really should have been shipped on a cargo flight, and not a commercial flight. So there was a screw up here. They're not supposed to ship live weapons on commercial flights. But if they were going back to Lockheed, there really wasn't much of a story, no.

originally posted by: butcherguy

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Boscowashisnamo

I had no idea they had a facility up there until I dug into their jobs page and saw it. Their main missile facility is in Orlando, which is where the Hellfire production is at.

So, were the missiles intercepted and held?
If they were going to Lockheed in Portland, there isn't really a story here. Slow news day in Belgrade?

From what little has been released, yes they are currently being held in Belgrade. An investigation has been launched with the FBI "looking into the reports". If the missiles were in transit to Locheed in Portland that would have been evident in the docs accompanying the shipment.

The link provided is the only source currently providing the story.

a reply to: Boscowashisnamo

The investigation would be into why they were on a passenger aircraft. They were supposed to be on a cargo flight if the warheads were still installed. It's entirely possible that the shipping documents show them going back to Lockheed, but they were put on the passenger flight for other reasons. They have to investigate what the intentions were, or if there was more to this than missiles being shipped back for something.

a reply to: Boscowashisnamo

I watched a documentary called 'Drone' the other night and I could swear I remember that some company in Oregon manufacturers some of the drones armed with the Hellfire and used abroad by USAF/CIA to kill terrorists and whomever else happens to be hanging out in the blast radius.

Not sure if it's related to that or not.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Boscowashisnamo

Lockheed Martin has a missile and fire control facility in Portland.

Would they be shipped with a live warhead? I would assume yes but registered not accidentally put on with no record right?

Oh I see you answered that and also hadn't even realized it was a passenger plane. Wow.

a reply to: Rosinitiate

Generally they're shipped with the warheads separate, but if they're shipped with warhead attached, they're supposed to be labeled, the crew briefed, and shipped on cargo aircraft, with them placed in the hazmat section of the cargo hold, where the fire department can get quick access to them. Even shipping them on cargo aircraft, depending on what they are is prohibited in some cases. So the question now is, did they fall under the regulations for acceptance for air shipment, and how did they end up on a passenger flight?

ETA: So I looked up the relevant CFR, and the only way I can describe this would go against the T&Cs. The only way these should have been on ANY aircraft is if it was military. They're supposed to be sent by ship if not sent by military aircraft as they violate the CFR for explosive transportation.

They stopped two but I wonder how many got though. This is not good at all.

originally posted by: fixer1967
They stopped two but I wonder how many got though. This is not good at all.

That is always my thought when I hear of someone, or something, being intercepted enroute to the USA. How many were NOT intercepted prior, or will not be going forward?

I recall reading recently that some ISIS terrorist was captured and spilled his guts. One of the active plots he mentioned is the shooting down of an aircraft immediately upon take-off, or just before landing. I hope we (the USA) spends as much money on surveillance equipment at the end of our runways as we spend on frickin Red Light, School Zone, and Construction Zone speed trap cameras and detectors!

originally posted by: carewemust

originally posted by: fixer1967
They stopped two but I wonder how many got though. This is not good at all.

That is always my thought when I hear of someone, or something, being intercepted enroute to the USA. How many were NOT intercepted prior, or will not be going forward?

I recall reading recently that some ISIS terrorist was captured and spilled his guts. One of the active plots he mentioned is the shooting down of an aircraft immediately upon take-off, or just before landing. I hope we (the USA) spends as much money on surveillance equipment at the end of our runways as we spend on frickin Red Light, School Zone, and Construction Zone speed trap cameras and detectors!

Topics discussed on the following threads contain information you mentioned:
www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...

The Lebanese government is saying that they are CATM-114s, meaning they don't have warheads or motors. I suspect someone at some point in the chain screwed up and packed live missiles. If they were CATMs there would have been nothing for dogs to find.

Ah, never mind, they could be CATMs. The Serbian police found suspected traces of explosives on the packaging. Go figure.

They were bound through Maine, not Oregon as reported. Maine is a port of entry for cargo from Europe and the ME.