Posted on 02/21/2006 3:03:17 PM PST by SandRat
GLOBAL HAWK UAV!
That's kind of strange honoring a robot like that.
I understand the the operators have a great sense of achievement, but it just sends shivvers down my spine. There is no-one in the non-existent cockpit of that AC. And still they dump water on it.
Just weird...
/johnny
HAWWWKKKKAAAAA!
I have seen the future, and pilots aren't in it!
Am I correct, this thing flew all of teh way home from Iraq non-stop and by remote control? Spooky and amazing . . . .
Only to find that its wife had run off with a Predator.
I don't see anyone "manning" the firetrucks. Maybe those are robots too.
Now, that was good.
4800 hours.
Anybody care to guess how many years (decades ?) it would take a human pilot to log that many hours?
I couldn't even guess, but 2000 hours is a huge milestone of a fighter pilot.
now thats funny.
Took me almost three years to get 1000 hours in a jet(pilot time). I have more flight hours than any pilot in my squadron including XO and CO at 2800 hours(pilot time).
Global Hawk, which has a wingspan of 116 feet (35.3 meters) and is 44 feet (13.4 meters) long, can range as far as 12,000 nautical miles, at altitudes up to 65,000 feet (19,812 meters), flying at speeds approaching 340 knots (about 400 mph) for as long as 35 hours. During a typical mission, the aircraft can fly 1,200 miles to an area of interest and remain on station for 24 hours. Its cloud-penetrating, Synthetic Aperture Radar/Ground Moving Target Indicator, electro-optical and infrared sensors can image an area the size of Illinois (40,000 nautical square miles) in just 24 hours. Through satellite and ground systems, the imagery can be relayed in near-real-time to battlefield commanders.
When fully-fueled for flight, Global Hawk weighs approximately 25,600 pounds (11,612 kilograms). More than half the UAV's components are constructed of lightweight, high-strength composite materials, including its wings, wing fairings, empennage, engine cover, engine intake and three radomes. Its main fuselage is standard aluminum, semi-monocoque construction.
The principal contractors for Global Hawk are:
Northrop Grumman's Ryan Aeronautical Center, San Diego, Calif. -- prime contractor
Raytheon Systems Company units at Falls Church, Va., and El Segundo, Calif. -- ground segment and sensors
Rolls-Royce Allison, Indianapolis, Ind. -- turbofan engine
Vought Aircraft Company, Dallas, Texas. -- carbon-fiber wing
L3 Com, Salt Lake City, Utah -- communications systems
Global Hawk is one of two UAVs currently under development and acquisition by ASC. The second UAV is Predator, a medium-altitude (25,000 feet) vehicle used by U.S. forces in Bosnia and Operation Allied Force in Kosovo, Yugoslavia and is also supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. The Predator has entered the formal Air Force defense acquisition process.
Wow.
What's the average mission time for a P3?
Don't worry, they're focused on replacing the bomber pilots right now ;)
"Only to find it's wife had run off with a Predator"
Quite possibly the funniest comment yet, on this thread.
BTTT
"I have seen the future, and pilots aren't in it!"
Neither will conventional soldiers. Funny thing though, who way back in the early 20th century would've thought we'd have automated planes before automated robotic humanoids?
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