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From the POV of someone adjacent to defense stuff, the DoD has been in a bit of a tech-curious analysis cycle. They're probably not interested in putting guns

From the POV of someone adjacent to defense stuff, the DoD has been in a bit of a tech-curious analysis cycle. They're probably not interested in putting guns on this thing as currently outfitted, but rather they want to see if this novel approach has any potential applications worth further developing. It's not a particularly capable system, but the USAF and USN are currently looking at a whole slew of VTOL systems and this one is both much simpler and much cheaper than any of them. If an arrangement like this is fielded it's probably not as a human rated system but as a large forward deployed combat or logistics drone.

JumpCrisscross 3y ago
> They're probably not interested in putting guns on this thing Battles are won with guns; wars with logistics.
jcgrillo 3y ago
Putting ~500lbs of explosives in it might be cool, it would probably be more aerodynamically stable at speed than those fpv quad copters and the vertical takeoff capability and increased range compared to a quad slinging a mortar round seem interesting.. though something engineered for that specific purpose rather than to carry a human occupant would probably be more fit.
- bunabhucan 3y ago
  >500lbs of explosives in it might be cool And at $200k a pop it's practically disposable!
  - iraqmtpizza 3y ago
    GMLRS (w/ 200lb warhead) is $189,000 and falling. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2023/03/27/did-ukraine-funding-spare-the-us-army-from-budget-cuts/ https://www.defensenews.com/land/2023/03/27/did-ukraine-fund... GLSDB is $168,000 with 205lb warhead
  - SV_BubbleTime 3y ago
    A single AIM-9 sidewinder costs $400-500,000. And if you remember, they just shot a hobbiest balloon with one last year, and missed. $200,000 retail for an evtol seems like a good deal.
- ianburrell 3y ago
  I think there is a place for close air support drone between small drones and attack helicopter and fighters. VTOL means that it can operate close to the troops. 500 lbs means that it can carry rockets (which are now guided), small missiles like Hellfire, and small bombs like SDB. The smaller size, maneuverability, and stand-off range should make it less vulnerable to MANPADs.

JumpCrisscross 3y ago

> They're probably not interested in putting guns on this thing Battles are won with guns; wars with logistics.

jcgrillo 3y ago

Putting ~500lbs of explosives in it might be cool, it would probably be more aerodynamically stable at speed than those fpv quad copters and the vertical takeoff capability and increased range compared to a quad slinging a mortar round seem interesting.. though something engineered for that specific purpose rather than to carry a human occupant would probably be more fit.

bunabhucan 3y ago
>500lbs of explosives in it might be cool And at $200k a pop it's practically disposable!
- iraqmtpizza 3y ago
  GMLRS (w/ 200lb warhead) is $189,000 and falling. https://www.defensenews.com/land/2023/03/27/did-ukraine-funding-spare-the-us-army-from-budget-cuts/ https://www.defensenews.com/land/2023/03/27/did-ukraine-fund... GLSDB is $168,000 with 205lb warhead
- SV_BubbleTime 3y ago
  A single AIM-9 sidewinder costs $400-500,000. And if you remember, they just shot a hobbiest balloon with one last year, and missed. $200,000 retail for an evtol seems like a good deal.
ianburrell 3y ago
I think there is a place for close air support drone between small drones and attack helicopter and fighters. VTOL means that it can operate close to the troops. 500 lbs means that it can carry rockets (which are now guided), small missiles like Hellfire, and small bombs like SDB. The smaller size, maneuverability, and stand-off range should make it less vulnerable to MANPADs.