Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 went missing on the morning of March 8th. Nearly three weeks later, a warship equipped with a black box detector will be used to attempt to find the missing plane. It comes by way of the United States.

For those who have been following the increasingly bewildering and frustrating search for the missing jetliner, the first question that comes to mind would have to be, “It took you THIS long?!”

Weeks were spent flying over the area or diverting ships to search much of the Indian Ocean. There’s no telling what the final cost will be even if at some point a search is called off.

And after all of the man hours that have been spent, we’re just now starting to look for the black box?

The delay for deploying the use of such vital recovery technology is mind-bogglingly frustrating to say the least. It certainly adds to the anger expressed by citizens over the lack of transparency and efficiency in how the matter has been handled thus far.

Why wasn't this sent day one? RT @NBCNews: U.S. black box detector to set sail in search of missing jet http://t.co/uTt1FysDA1

— Liz Lastra (@lizlastra) March 30, 2014

"A United States black box detector is due to arrive on April 5, just two days before the black box’s pinger is due to run out of battery."

— Paul Stovell (@paulstovell) March 27, 2014

Even though it is easy to argue that the use of such a device is long overdue, it’s also possible there were many constraints that stood in the way of allowing such an item to be made available.

At the same time, the hunt for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 is making it clear just how many changes need to be made in how information and resources are used for these type of large-scale missions.

Open ommunication between government organizations and the upfront acknowledgement of available resources is key.

The black box detector will be carried to the search area by way of Australian navy ship, the Ocean Shield. It’s expected the vessel will take approximately three to four days to arrive in the designated search area.

Despite objects being recovered from and spotted in the ocean, there is no definite connection that has been established to the missing Boeing 777.

Image via Wikimedia Commons