DARPA Plans Unmanned Versions of the A-10, F-4 and F16 and a hypersonic plane

Next Big Future ^ | Mar 6, 2010 | Brian Wang

[decimon]

1. DARPA's is seeksing purpose-built unmanned systems for close air support, as well as unmanned versions of manned fighters, including the "QF-4, QF-16 and UA-10". The QF-4 and QF-16 designates target drone versions of the original F-4 and F16 fighters, while the UA-10 is presumably a reference to an unmanned version of the A-10.

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2. DARPA is planning an April test flight for a prototype of a hypersonic weapon

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[Mr. Jazzy]

They will have a pilot ... and a dog.

(Inside joke for pilots)

[highlander_UW]

An unmanned fighter has some real advantages, such as not risking the pilot as well as not having to design within the physical limits of a human on-board pilot. But it would seem to me that a dedicated design would be much more cost effective in the long run over retrofitting something like an F16.

[KarlInOhio]

DARPA Plans Unmanned Versions of the ... F-4

I worked with someone who decided to make a couple of F-4's unmanned aircraft.

The F-4 is the military's way of turning jet fuel into sound with an accidental side effect of flight.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

A UAV Warthog would be fun to fly from the comfort of a computer console.

[rjp2005]

<img src=”http://www.digitaljournal.com/img/2/1/0/8/2/9/i/4/0/4/o/Aierial_Hunter-Killer_from__Terminator_.jpg";

[Yossarian]

DARPA's going to do major modifications to the double-ugly flying anvil? (The F-4)

Obama's DARPA, maybe. The plane's design is 50 years old!!!

[SJSAMPLE]

If a dedicated UAF comes to pass, a good portion of the existing aircraft will also be turned into “unmanned vehicles” ;)

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

As fighters become obsolescent, rather than park them in the desert, find a new mission. I'd love to see a QF-16 loaded with nitroglycerin crash into the Iranian Parliament building.

[IYAS9YAS]

The F-4 is the military's way of turning jet fuel into sound with an accidental side effect of flight.

All while looking cool. The F-4 is one of my favorite jets. Physical proof that anything can fly with a big enough engine.

[Jewbacca]

Sounds economical. It’s a solid airframe that can be re-used.

Drones are expendible, so you want them cheap.

Slow is OK.

[Jewbacca]

I love to see a fleet of old remote-controlled 727s, 737s, whatever drop from the sky onto Iran.

Who needs bunker busters.

[GBA]

We’ve been turning F-4s into QF-4 target drones for a while now, based at Tyndall, I think.

[Hulka]

It’s even more fun in the cockpit. . . the most fun you can have with your trousers on.

;-)

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Who needs bunker busters.

Bunker Busters are exhausted 155mm cannon barrels overstuffed with charge loaded onto a precision missile. They can penetrate a lot of stuff an airframe cannot. The cannon barrel at mach 2+ digs its way into a few meters of reinforced concrete before going off. Very tasty.

[MortMan]

Aren’t you supposed to be selling Hulka Burgers?

(That’s the fact, Jack!) ;-P

[Moonman62]

Hypersonic aircraft are essentially suborbital spacecraft. Someday in the distant future they’ll be a cost efficient replacement for carrier groups, which I imagine the Navy doesn’t like.

[Londo Molari]

flown my Captain Dunsel.

[rstrahan]

UAV Predators have outflown manned fighters in head-to-head competitions as there’s no restrictions on g-forces other than the airframe. There will always be a need for some manned aircraft, but UAVs can remain on station far longer than manned aircraft, are cheaper to construct, and are the future. Only real problem is that people will be trying to interfere with the uplink system.

[DCBryan1]

The F-4 is the military's way of turning jet fuel into sound with an accidental side effect of flight.

Proof that with enough engine, you can get a brick to fly.