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This is the best comment in this whole thread: >Modern fighter aircraft need to: a) not be seen b) be fast (time to target is still important!) c) carry a dece
by alexeisadeski3 13y ago
This is the best comment in this whole thread:
>Modern fighter aircraft need to:
a) not be seen b) be fast (time to target is still important!) c) carry a decent payload of weapons.
Ideally target selection should be provided by AWACS, and missile-sensors provide the final kill guidance, allowing the fighter (AKA missile-launch platform) to remain stealthy. In the absence of AWACS, the fighter will need to carry it's own sensor suite.
Modern air warfare is all about sensors, ECM and stealth. The airframe is almost inconsequential.
- rdtsc 13y agoA drone? Why even bother putting a pilot into a steel tube with wings so it can fly some distance ahead, launch another faster steel tube with fins, then turn back. The only reason to even have a person in there is for dog-fighting for what I see. Otherwise with specs you described, it is just a pointless waste of money.
- greedo 13y agoBecause a pilot can control a plane when GPS is down, when jamming prevents remote control from Creech AFB, and because the Mark One eyeball is still pretty good.
- rdtsc 13y agoA pilot still uses eyes, gyroscopes and has an understanding of terrain and how to manipulate a flight controls to make the aircraft go a certain way. Presumably all those things can be done by technology, terrain following, and autopilot systems are not new. If jamming detected it can return back to destination. I am sure it can be done for less than $1TN
- greedo 13y agoReturn to base automatically didn't work so well for the drone the Iranians managed to capture. Drones seem sexy and safe, but I'd be very surprised if we didn't keep pilots in the plane for a long time.
- PeterisP 13y agoCurrent visual systems are worse by Mark One eyeball - but they'll get better. At that point, a drone brain can do everything a pilot can, and more.
- alexeisadeski3 13y agoThe article isn't about drones vs piloted aircraft, it's about one type of piloted aircraft vs another.