J A Dare Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 Anyone see this article?...PEGASUS: UCAVS LOOK SEAWARD Northrop Grumman’s X-47 UCAV may evolve into the first pilotless combat plane to take off and land on aircraft carriers. Anyone think we'll develop a pilotless "Fighter" (i.e. air-to-air combat capable) in our lifetime? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Hingtgen Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 Looks like a B-2-ified A-12. (Not that many people will get the reference) PS---Lockheed's proposed making pilotless F-16's, as we have so many old ones, and they're so cheap. It won't be long before we run out of F-4 drones for target practice. Might as well see if a drone fighter can do more than just be shot at. Once you remove the pilot and his seat, there's lots of room for electronics--and F-16's are already FBW. Heck, you can get rid of lots of things--canopy, O2 supply, instrument panel, rudder pedals, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etrigan Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 It'll be a sad day to see birds flying without their pilots. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opus Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 I don't think there's a real place for traditional "fighters" in the 21st century battle plan. With long range missiles and stealth technology there's no real need to mix it up any more except to satiate egos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J A Dare Posted October 9, 2003 Author Share Posted October 9, 2003 Looks like a B-2-ified A-12. (Not that many people will get the reference) The Avenger right? I thought it only made it to concept stage? PS---Lockheed's proposed making pilotless F-16's, as we have so many old ones, and they're so cheap. That's not a bad idea...if they are only going to use UCAVs for attack/strike missions. I mean, they already have a proven airframe. Wouldn't it mostly be a software issue to make this happen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellohikaru Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 Not directly related the what Dave said but here is a look at the drone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellohikaru Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 Again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-ZeroOne Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 It'll be a sad day to see birds flying without their pilots. "And so ends the challenge... " All I can say is, first hint of singing when they do the test flight, and I'll be digging my YF-19 straight out of storage... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the white drew carey Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 King Arthur: "Look everyone, it's the F-16 drone!" Lancelot: "The F-16 Drone!" Galahad: "The F-16 Drone!" Patsy: "It's only a model..." Everyone: "Shhh!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-52 GUNNER Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 Here is the Boeing UCAV X-45 B) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druna Skass Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 Again Hey it's the Ace Combat 03 F-16... OK I was wondering how a unmanned aircraft flys vis remote control, is like playing Ace Combat or some flight sim? Either way, I can't see a day when human pilots aren't around... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-52 GUNNER Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 They have the X-45 at the U.S. Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio right now. Or at last the Prototype. They're Piloted by remote like the Predator Drones but with a little more bite. UCAV's are just an extention of air combat in the future they will be the first in to take out enemy fighters and early warning radar. Then you will see the F-117's followed by F-22's and F/A-18's. Then there's the Big Guys B-1B's, B-52H's, and B-2 Spirits that will mop up the rest. They all are piloted, the UCAV's just have a guy sitting in front of a monitor eating a Sub Sandwich and Drinking a Slushie. Just kidding, It will be like flying a simulator though. Scot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAG Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 Any carrier based UCAV thats combat capable should be angular, painted black/dark blue, and designated as "ghost"........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Hingtgen Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 Yes, the Avenger II. Better known as The Flying Dorito. Got further than most things though, I believe it got so far as the wooden mock-up stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pfunk Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 http://www.fas.org/index.html thats a good site for military info, they have all those planes listed that were ever in service, including trainers and such Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-52 GUNNER Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 If you check out the link I posted to the X-45 you can see photos of the real thing flying. The white X-45 is about 1/3 the size of the finished production UCAV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel's Fury Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 Looks like a B-2-ified A-12. (Not that many people will get the reference) PS---Lockheed's proposed making pilotless F-16's, as we have so many old ones, and they're so cheap. It won't be long before we run out of F-4 drones for target practice. Might as well see if a drone fighter can do more than just be shot at. Once you remove the pilot and his seat, there's lots of room for electronics--and F-16's are already FBW. Heck, you can get rid of lots of things--canopy, O2 supply, instrument panel, rudder pedals, etc. Pretty much it's a Ghost X-9 in the making. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J A Dare Posted October 9, 2003 Author Share Posted October 9, 2003 They all are piloted, the UCAV's just have a guy sitting in front of a monitor eating a Sub Sandwich and Drinking a Slushie. Just kidding, It will be like flying a simulator though. hmmm...I thought they are working on UCAVs to be totally automated...ie. no human intervention or control. That's why I mentioned attack/strike missions since targets are stationary or easily identified with pattern recognition. BTW, tha F-16 drone looks sweet. So what do you think? A Ghost X-9 in our lifetime...say within the next 40-50 years??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-52 GUNNER Posted October 9, 2003 Share Posted October 9, 2003 UAV's like Global Hawk are preprogrammed and sent on recon missions. UAV's like Predator are piloted by remote as well as the UCAV. I don't think we want something to happen like in that old Chevy Chase movie "Deal of the Century" UCAV's have to have a human responsible for pulling the trigger. I wouldn't want one to mistake a Jetliner for a bomber or a private plane for a fighter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druna Skass Posted October 10, 2003 Share Posted October 10, 2003 I wonder, what would happen if someone got a virus into the computer that controls these things? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druna Skass Posted October 10, 2003 Share Posted October 10, 2003 Pretty much it's a Ghost X-9 in the making. Now all we need is a YF-21 to kill it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B-52 GUNNER Posted October 10, 2003 Share Posted October 10, 2003 Here is a photo of the X-45 in the air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J A Dare Posted October 10, 2003 Author Share Posted October 10, 2003 I wonder, what would happen if someone got a virus into the computer that controls these things? It would start singing Brittany Spear songs and go after Justin Timberlake??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingNor Posted October 10, 2003 Share Posted October 10, 2003 looks like photoshop to me. the carrier pic that is. we're probly very close to unmaned anti fighter weapons. i mean, its not like we dogfight anymore, everything is done on the range of miles using missles. so its really not far fetched at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nied Posted October 10, 2003 Share Posted October 10, 2003 Frankly I don't see UCAVs ever actually replacing maned fighters. I think that instead they'll end up suplementing them, say one or two manned fighters leading a squadron of UCAVs. I just don't see AI being able to replicate human judgement any time soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hiriyu Posted October 10, 2003 Share Posted October 10, 2003 I don't think we want something to happen like in that old Chevy Chase movie "Deal of the Century" I agree. I don't think anyone wants to be reminded of that movie, ever Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J A Dare Posted October 10, 2003 Author Share Posted October 10, 2003 looks like photoshop to me. the carrier pic that is. It is. The article I was referring to is on the possibility of carrier based UCAVs. They are currently experimenting simulated carrier landings on land. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amped Posted October 10, 2003 Share Posted October 10, 2003 (edited) Will we have a fully autonomous (AI-controlled) combat aircraft in our lifetime (next 50 years or so)? Ehhhhhh... perhaps on a limited basis. However, I think there's a whole lotta development that's gotta go on before folks start entrusting the welfare of expensive military hardware soley to AI. I think that the increasingly widespread use of pilot-less aircraft is a more realistic near-term possibility. Remote-piloted aircraft will expand beyond their current spy/ recon/ blck ops role into more visible & routine day-to-day uses. To make a slightly silly analogy, aircraft carriers of the future could resemble seafaring arcades. Actually, with satellite systems, the carrier itself really need only have a minimal human crew to supervise & service the shipboard systems & pilotless/ AI aircraft. The 'pilots' (assuming non-AI control) could be in some secure base deep in a mountainside in Colorado or wherever. Doesn't really matter as long as the pilot signal can get to the aircraft. Gone could be the days of the cocksure fighter jock to be replaced by the deadly accurate future versions of today's top dedicated gamer-geeks. Weird, but entirely possible in a real-time, wireless networked future society. What's interesting about this sort of development in combat aircraft - aside from removing the human pilot directly out of harm's way in the combat zone - is the change in air combat tactics this could portend. Instead of the current fairly large complex aircraft, future pilotless/AI aircraft could be smaller & cheaper... & capable of engaging in high-speed/ high-G maneuvers that would otherwise pulp an onboard human pilot. Researchers are currently studying the bio-mechanics, behavior & habits of swarming insects so that they might successfully apply such principles to AI based robotic airframes. Actually, by removing the human body from the airframe, there is no limit to the design possibilities & configurations we could see. Delicate but deadly insect-like craft, or ornithopters, could literally swarm the skies of future air combat zones! Think of the flying Hunter-Killers from the Terminator movies... but remote piloted by human pilots. Personally, I don't see technology & future AI replacing human pilots... but I do see them augmenting a human pilots' skills & abilities far beyond the capabilities of todays modern military. Edited October 10, 2003 by Amped Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hellohikaru Posted October 10, 2003 Share Posted October 10, 2003 AI powered airliners ? Ok..how bout passenger aircraft that can be flown from the ground ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garou Kuroryuu Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 You guys may wanna take a look at this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EADS_Barracuda A lot closer to Macross' ghosts, in shape at least. PD: I love thread necromancy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruskiiVFaussie Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 (edited) Ooo00OOoo Ghost in the Machine scary stuff. Now hoefully i can get an emotion sensor/reactor/inducer? slapped onto my wrist and go enjoy sensual hypnotic pop musics sung by a big boobed holographic but ever so sexy Idol. Edited December 3, 2008 by ruskiiVFaussie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scream Man Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 I agree with whatever David Hingtgen says. He is the master of anything flying in my book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight26 Posted December 3, 2008 Share Posted December 3, 2008 Considering I work on flight testing UAVs and UCAVs for the USAF I have an inside line on the 'cuda because of work we've done with EADS. However due to OPSEC I will keep my mouth shut, though I might be able to confirm anything that DH says if it is publicly known. And I agree that the Cuda is the most Ghost looking UAV out there right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nied Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 (edited) Considering I work on flight testing UAVs and UCAVs for the USAF I have an inside line on the 'cuda because of work we've done with EADS. However due to OPSEC I will keep my mouth shut, though I might be able to confirm anything that DH says if it is publicly known. And I agree that the Cuda is the most Ghost looking UAV out there right now. Oh Knight26 you're such a tease when it comes to OPSEC. Come on make with the juicy stuff! What are it's front and side aspect RCS in square meters? If possible please provide detailed info on chemical composition of and the construction techniques for, any RAM used in it's structure. My "freind" Yuri want's to know, yeah that's it! Edited December 4, 2008 by Nied Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savvi Posted December 4, 2008 Share Posted December 4, 2008 At Kotaku(?), I think somethin close enough to Kotaku talked about military implementing AI players that try and pass off as another player. If the unmanned craft is ran by a "that" AI then we're screwed. If theres a Virus catched, I do hope it wouldn't start singing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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