Next generation military jets: Unmanned X-45

[Evil Techie]

Even though F-35 hasnt been delivered to the military just yet

US military is already looking into the Boeing X-45A/C

the next generation of fighters will be unmanned

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/x-45/images/DVD-883-1.jpg

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/x-45/images/dvd-782-1.jpg

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/x-45/images/dvd-182-02.jpg

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/x-45/images/DVD-691-10.jpg

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/x-45/images/DVD-691-02.jpg

looks like US is trying hard to stay ahead of the chinese

[CSR]

Even though F-35 hasnt been delivered to the military just yet

US military is already looking into the Boeing X-45A/C

the next generation of fighters will be unmanned

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/x-45/images/DVD-883-1.jpg

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/x-45/images/dvd-782-1.jpg

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/x-45/images/dvd-182-02.jpg

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/x-45/images/DVD-691-10.jpg

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/x-45/images/DVD-691-02.jpg

looks like US is trying hard to stay ahead of the chinese

What's there to stay ahead of?

[15-20_God]

this is an excellent development, now they can bomb ppl with even less effort.

[Canuck_2005]

http://www.roicat.com.tw/poster/s/stealth.JPG

[Shaner]

Get ready for Cold War part two

[asim99]

presence of coward armed forces necessitated this invention

[fakishan]

presence of coward armed forces necessitated this invention
:lol: :lol:

[Kasakato]

Stealth! Exactly what I was thinking.

[MadCow]

I guess I can cross off becoming a Pilot for the Air Force from my 'To Do' list. :(

[fakishan]

they will still need mechanics.

[rb]

presence of coward armed forces necessitated this invention

Expense of armed forces necessitated this - it costs million to train a pilot and without one jets don't have to worry about G forces on humand and safety measures and expensive rescue missions.


they'll have driverless tanks and unmanned ships / submarines in development as well

[fakishan]

Expense of armed forces necessitated this - it costs million to train a pilot and without one jets don't have to worry about G forces on humand and safety measures and expensive rescue missions.


they'll have driverless tanks and unmanned ships / submarines in development as well

hey, as long as the ennemy is also unmanned vehicles, i'm all for it.
killing the ennemy without having casualites ourselves sounds wrong. we can easilly forget when to stop fighting.

[rb]

hey, as long as the ennemy is also unmanned vehicles, i'm all for it.
killing the ennemy without having casualites ourselves sounds wrong. we can easilly forget when to stop fighting.


I would agree if the "enemy" also fought fairly ie wore uniforms to distinguish itself from civilians !

[poromol]

these seems to make war worse i think. i mean you're basically talking about a constant war (1984 anyone?) since no one is dying, but rather the labour put in is going to waste thus leaving the world worse off...one of the deterrents of war was the death of soldiers....now that its gone, everyone will be going to war all the time just for the sake of war.
the future looks bleaker everyday...

[asim99]

I would agree if the "enemy" also fought fairly ie wore uniforms to distinguish itself from civilians !
and if they dont wear uniforms, bomb the civilians from unmanned planes?

[Ziggy007]

Am I the only one that finds that isn't even a good job of photoshopping?

[rb]

and if they dont wear uniforms, bomb the civilians from unmanned planes?

or blow them up in suicide car bombs or behead them

[othy]

"Not particularly effective against an insurgency"

.. Unlike chuck norris ..

[Evil Techie]

Am I the only one that finds that isn't even a good job of photoshopping?

are you the one that always says "this is photoshopped" in every picture threads?

http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/x-45/x45photos.html

[Alvito]

Does he download songs off the net?

[purple_rabbit]

Don't you guys find everything in those sci-fi movies becoming reality?

I have a P900 which looks like a tricorder and we have robot vacuum cleaners and now planes which looks like Alien ships :lol:

Arghh!!!! Why was I born now!!! I want to meet Vulcans >:(

[JoKeRr]

that's pretty awsome. Without a human pilot, there's no need to worry about the extreme G force that would black out a pilot and kill the bird, the thermal requirement will be less strict and the radar signature will be even smaller.

wonder what type of engine is it using now, F22 is pretty awsome with super cruise.

[Rometiklan]

that's pretty awsome. Without a human pilot, there's no need to worry about the extreme G force that would black out a pilot and kill the bird, the thermal requirement will be less strict and the radar signature will be even smaller.

wonder what type of engine is it using now, F22 is pretty awsome with super cruise.

If these things are unmanned, why do they still have a cockpit?

[Evil Techie]

If these things are unmanned, why do they still have a cockpit?

its not really a cockpit
it houses computers and visual equipment
IE cameras and laser stuff

[Siefer999]

it will be like robot wars on tv. i send my machine, you sent your machine and they duke it out till once can no longer continue. eventually they will be sick and tired of spending all of this money on robots and unmanned vehicles and all the countries will jointly develop a videogame on ps3 where they will fight to the death for global supremecy in the game. Rules are that loser walks and if you dont, you get gang raped halo 2 style.

[FastFokker]

I guess I can cross off becoming a Pilot for the Air Force from my 'To Do' list. :(If you're speaking of in Canada, most pilots in the Air Force are not fighter pilots.

But besides that, Canada is so far behind on new equipment, we'll probably not see an unmanned fighter in the DND until you've passed on.

Anyway.. back to the topic.. this is interesting, I've fallen off on my military knowledge and wasn't even aware of the X-45.

Although, the US has been using unmanned aircraft for a few years now.. this is not exactly new ground being broken.

There's the Predator (RQ2), GlobalHawk (RQ4) FireScout (RQ8-HELI) and a few others in between. GlobalHawk is my favourite, it's friggin huge and there's a nice video of it spinning out of control and crashing.. I love to see a good crash when there's nobody injured.

Also worth noting, some claim it was a GlobalHawk that crashed into the Pentagon.

[Evil Techie]

If you're speaking of in Canada, most pilots in the Air Force are not fighter pilots.

But besides that, Canada is so far behind on new equipment, we'll probably not see an unmanned fighter in the DND until you've passed on.

Anyway.. back to the topic.. this is interesting, I've fallen off on my military knowledge and wasn't even aware of the X-45.

Although, the US has been using unmanned aircraft for a few years now.. this is not exactly new ground being broken.

There's the Predator (RQ2), GlobalHawk (RQ4) FireScout (RQ8-HELI) and a few others in between. GlobalHawk is my favourite, it's friggin huge and there's a nice video of it spinning out of control and crashing.. I love to see a good crash when there's nobody injured.

Also worth noting, some claim it was a GlobalHawk that crashed into the Pentagon.

this dropping bombs is pretty new eh
sure makes the aviation history

[FastFokker]

this dropping bombs is pretty new eh
sure makes the aviation historyI don't quite follow?

[Evil Techie]

i think the X-45 is the first unmanned aircraft to drop a bomb

[FastFokker]

i think the X-45 is the first unmanned aircraft to drop a bombYeah probably.. but even todays bombers.. the pilot doesn't do much.

The computers fly the plane and the computers find the target and the computers drop the bombs.. The pilot's just there to click the "OK" button when the "Do you want to bomb them?" message comes up on the screen.

Todays bombers are not like WW2 where a man actually found the target, corrected for all the variables (speed, height, wind..etc) and actually pulled the lever and dropped the bombs.

So that aspect isn't new.. but you're probably correct it's the first time an aircraft has dropped bombs, without a human being onboard.

[JoKeRr]

i think the X-45 is the first unmanned aircraft to drop a bomb

The predator Drone (unmanned aerial vehicle) could already deploy hell fire missile.

There was a claim once when the War on Afghan started, that the predator drone spotted a tall figure in the mountain area, so they thought it was bin laden and the drone fired hellfire missile. Ended up it was a tree.

[Evil Techie]

heres a bit of an old news
http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2004/q2/nr_040418m.html

“For the first time, an unmanned combat system has demonstrated that it can successfully deliver precision weapons on target,” said Boeing Integrated Defense Systems President and CEO Jim Albaugh. “Unmanned systems like the X-45 are well suited for high-risk missions like the suppression of enemy air defense and precision strike. Once fully developed, these systems will provide commanders with effective and affordable solutions that compliment and support warfighters on the ground, in the air, or at sea.”