New pilotless plane headed for Afghanistan

UPI ^ | 08/28/07

[Sax]

[agere_contra]

Reaper! Excellent news!

But with all these new UCAVs coming out all over the world I’m worried that we’re going to run out of cool names for new ones within as little as fifteen years. After that they’re all be called “Edsel” or “Marvin”.

[B-Chan]

FEAR THE REAPER

[EQAndyBuzz]

I always thought that these drones could be used in different capacities.

1. Fly along our coasts with radiation detection devices.
2. Spray flourescent dyes along the border and trace footprints, tire prints. Guide ICE officials to the prints.
3. Same thing along the Iranian and Syrian borders but instead of ICE, fire missiles at the prints.
4. Make them stealthy and give them to the Israelis, Taiwanese, Brazilian and Polish militaries as Christmas presents. Mount sparrows on them as a bonus gift.

[muffaletaman]

Sound of cowbells - Blue Oyster Cult - Don’t Fear The Reaper - NOT!

[B-Chan]

Cool plane, but it needs a grinning shark mouth and mean eyes painted on the nose.

Also, putting the Blüe Öyster Cült emblem on the wings would be neat.

That is all. Secure from General Quarters.

[AntiKev]

Don’t even need dyes, just put an IR camera on them. Easy to detect body heat on a cool night.

[Pistolshot]

6 hard points for weapons. Looks like Hellfires, cluster munitions and smart weapons for this bird.

Who says playing video games won't get you a job?

[ArrogantBustard]

That's all well and good ... and would likely build esprit de corps in the crew.

But Achmed the Awful is never going to see it.

[B-Chan]

[Billthedrill]

Make it STOPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!

[1Old Pro]

The more aggressive we get against the Taliban and al-quaida the better.

One has to believe that technological advances over the past decade should provide ample opportunity to “get some” of these terrorists.

[Dan(9698)]

Who says playing video games won't get you a job?

My son is a Weapons Director in the Air Force.

He sits at a radar console and directs aircraft in the battlefield.

He tells his Mom, "You thought all the video games was a waste of time. Now, this is the ultimate video game."

[BOBTHENAILER]

He tells his Mom, "You thought all the video games was a waste of time. Now, this is the ultimate video game."

Great story. Many thanks to your family and your son.

[McGruff]

Nothing personal but Loose lips sink ships?

[ArrogantBustard]

USAF wants the world to know about this beast.

Achmed the Awful needs to know about it, so he can start spending all his time looking over his shoulder.

Not that looking over his shoulder will actually do him any good ...

[Sax]

Threre are plenty of UAV development activities that are public, if not common, knowledge.

[nypokerface]

I don’t think UAV’s are a secret.

[Pistolshot]

This has been available publically for about 4 months now. Our enemies would have no problem see what we have, but doing something about it is another thing entirely.

With a flight ceiling above 50,000 feet, it's way out of range for a hand-held SAM. So the system is pretty safe. The ability to loiter and get to a target in a few minutes means better ground support.

But none of this is new or secret, it's just the next evolution from the Lightning Bug.