An X-47B unmanned combat air system (UCAS) demonstrator performs a touch and go landing on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) in the Atlantic Ocean. Photographer: Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy Walter/U.S. Navy via Getty Images
Bloomberg: Armed Drones Seen as Dogfight-Ready in (Not-Too-Distant) Future
As the fighter jet of the future rolls and climbs to outmaneuver an enemy plane and bore in for the kill, one thing will be missing: a pilot.
That’s the vision of Northrop Grumman Corp., which is working on an autonomous fighter programmed for aerial combat without human control. Northrop has already refueled its experimental X-47B unmanned combat jet in flight and made takeoffs and landings from an aircraft carrier.
“It’s a very dynamic, moving 3-D environment,” said Scott Winship, Northrop’s vice president of advanced warfare development. “It’s a difficult problem. But it’s something that we’re very keen to resolve.”
WNU Editor: The Chinese are already getting ready for drone warfare .... China Preparing for Drone Warfare (Washington Free Beacon). Yup .... I can see the day when we are reading reports of drones shooting down other drones and the winner will be the one who has the best drone AND software to make it happen.
Update: On a side note .... this is a sobering video discussion on a drone nightmare scenario .... Nightmare Scenario: Drones Coupled With Bioweapons (Bloomberg)
1 comment:
WNU Editor,
As Digby notes, that's probably not the way it's going to work out.
"Our" drones will kill their people, and "their" drones, will kill our people.
Post a Comment