Blue Warrior (42 page)
Authors: Mike Maden
Tags: #Literature & Fiction, #Genre Fiction, #Action & Adventure, #War, #Mystery; Thriller & Suspense, #Thrillers & Suspense, #Suspense, #War & Military
ABU | Airman Battle Uniform (Air Force “fatigues”) |
AFRICOM | Africa Command |
AFB | Air Force Base |
AMF | Aviation Mission Fellowship (fictional) |
Ansar Dine | “Defenders of the Faith” |
ANT | Advanced Network Technology [a division of the NSA’s TAO] |
AQS | al-Qaeda Sahara (fictional) |
BDU | Battle Dress Uniform (Army “fatigues”) |
BMI | Brain Machine Interface |
BOQ | Bachelor Officer Quarters |
COMPASS | Chinese version of GPS |
CTD | Counterterrorism Division (FBI) |
CXS | Communications Exploitation Section (FBI CTD) |
DARPA | Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (US) |
DDoS | Denial-of-Service attacks |
DNI | Director of National Intelligence |
DPV | Desert Patrol Vehicle |
FAE | Fuel-Air Explosive |
FAV | Fast-Attack Vehicle |
GAD | General Armament Department (a PRC/PLA version of DARPA) |
GCHQ | Government Communications Headquarters |
GCS | Ground Control Station (drones) |
GPS | Global Positioning System |
HSD | High Speed Data |
HFT | High Frequency Trading |
JDAM | Joint Direct Attack Munition |
JTRIG | Joint Threat Research and Intelligence Group, the GCHQ’s anti-hacktivist division |
LARs | Lethal Autonomous Robotics |
LS | Legged Squad Support System |
MAST | Micro Autonomous Systems and Technology |
MAV | Miniature Air Vehicle |
MGV | Miniature Ground Vehicle |
Mil-Spec | Military Specifications |
MNLA | National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad |
MSS | Ministry of State Security |
NSA | National Security Administration |
OPSEC | Operational Security |
PDB | Presidential Daily Brief |
PLA | People’s Liberation Army |
PRC | People’s Republic of China |
PROCEED | Programming Computation on Encrypted Data |
REE | Rare Earth Element |
RPV | Remotely Piloted Vehicle |
SAD/SOG | Special Activities Division/Special Operations Group [the CIA’s special forces unit] |
SCADA | Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition |
SPAN | Self-Powered Ad-hoc Network |
sUAV | Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle |
STOL | Short Take Off and Landing |
SVR | Sluzhba Vneshney Razvedki (Russian Foreign Intelligence Service) |
TAO | Office of Tailored Operations (NSA) |
TERCOM | Terrain Contour Matching |
UAV | Unmanned Aerial Vehicle |
UDC | Utah Data Center |
UGV | Unmanned Ground Vehicle |
USAFE-AFAFRICA | U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa |
VPN | Virtual Private Network |
VTOL | Vertical Takeoff and Landing |
DRONE SYSTEMS | TYPE | MANUFACTURER, AGENCY, OR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN |
A-160T Hummingbird | UAV (transport) | Boeing Advance Systems |
Bio-Bot | Living organisms fitted with hardware and software for automated control | North Carolina State University |
Hybrid Quadrotor | UAV (attack) | Latitude Engineering |
LS | Legged Squad Support System (transport—for now) | Boston Dynamics |
Naro-tartaruga | UUV (research) | ETH (prototype) |
Silent Falcon | sUAS (surveillance) | UAS Technologies |
SmartBird | UAV (surveillance) | Festo |
Snake | UGV (surveillance) | Tohoku University (prototype) |
Switchblade | UAV (surveillance) | AeroVironment |
Wraith | UGV (attack) | United Drones |
OTHER SYSTEMS | DESCRIPTION | MANUFACTURER, AGENCY, OR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN |
AGM-114N Hellfire II | Air-to-ground missile, thermobaric munitions | Lockheed Martin |
Botnet | A network of hijacked computers used to perform automated tests over the Internet without the owners’ knowledge or consent | Worldwide |
BTR-60PB | Personnel carrier | USSR |
DROPMIRE | Surveillance hardware | NSA |
FN SCAR-H CQC | Special Forces Combat Assault Rifle (Heavy, 7.62mm) Close Quarters Combat version | FN Herstal |
HEADWATER | Software backdoors | NSA |
JANUS | Facial recognition software | DARPA |
JETPLOW | Firewall firmware | NSA |
LOUDAUTO | Surveillance hardware | NSA |
M-25 grenade launcher, “the Punisher” (formerly XM-25) | Laser-guided, programmable, automatic air burst grenade launcher | Heckler & Koch, Alliant Technologies, L-3 IOS Brashear |
M58/59/MICLIC | Mine Clearing Line Charge | American Ordinance |
MC-130 Talon | STOL special operations military transport aircraft | Lockheed Martin |
PHOTOANGLO | Surveillance hardware | NSA |
Satis | Bluetooth-activated robo-toilet with automated flush, spray, music, fragrance release, and data record features | Lixil Group |
SOMBERKNAVE | Wireless Internet traffic rerouting software | NSA |
SPAN | Self-Powered Ad-hoc Network , a wireless ground sensor | Lockheed Martin |
WP | White Phosphorus | Worldwide |
XKEYSCORE | Surveillance software | NSA |
As in the case of my previous novel,
Drone,
all of the drone and related systems described in this book are currently deployed, in development, or prototyped. I have taken the liberty of simplifying, modifying, or amplifying their operation and performance characteristics for the sake of the story. However, I am confident that the “new and improved” versions I have imagined, or something like them, might soon be
available.
Once again I am gratefully indebted to the entire team at G. P. Putnam’s Sons, especially my amazing editor Nita Taublib and her invaluable assistant editor Meaghan Wagner, along with Kelly W. Rudolph, Ashley E. Hewlett, Mary Stone, Christopher Nelson, and the indefatigable sales crew who all support me and the series so well.
I remain well represented by the deep bench at InkWell Management, including my savvy agent, David Hale Smith, his gifted assistant, Lizz Blaise, and the social media savant, Lisa Vanterpool.
My very first book tour was an unexpected delight. It was a privilege to meet some of my fantastic readers face-to-face as well as the booksellers who make all of this possible. I owe a special shout-out to Barbara Peters and John Goodwin at The Poisoned Pen bookstore in Scottsdale, Arizona, for hosting my very first public appearance with
Drone
. Amy Harper at Barnes & Noble in Lewisville, Texas, couldn’t have been more supportive, and it was an honor to visit with McKenna Jordan and John Kwiatkowski at Murder by the Book in Houston. Sundog Books in Seaside, Florida, was always one of my favorite indie bookstores but seeing
Drone
next to Tom Clancy’s latest was an unexpected thrill. Can’t wait to see you all again next time.
Thanks to all of you who support Troy & Co. in print, digital, and audio formats. It’s been a real pleasure connecting with those of you who have reached out through Twitter, Facebook, and e-mail—keep it coming. Finally, special thanks to Dr. Tim Gottleber who was my go-to resource for questions digital and dangerous in this novel. Mistakes in the manuscript, fictional or otherwise, remain my
own.
