U.S. Navy lands fighter-jet sized drone on aircraft carrier for first time

National Post ^ | 13 July, 2013 | Brock Vergakis, AP

[brityank]

‘A chance to see the future’: U.S. Navy lands fighter-jet sized drone on aircraft carrier for first time

Brock Vergakis, Associated Press | 13/07/11 4:03 PM ET

The U.S. Navy successfully landed a drone the size of a fighter jet aboard an aircraft carrier for the first time Wednesday, showcasing the military’s capability to have a computer program perform one of the most difficult tasks that a pilot is asked to do.

The landing of the X-47B experimental aircraft means the Navy can move forward with its plans to develop another unmanned aircraft that will join the fleet alongside traditional airplanes to provide around-the-clock surveillance while also possessing a strike capability. It also would pave the way for the U.S. to launch unmanned aircraft without the need to obtain permission from other countries to use their bases.

This image provided by the US navy shows sailors moving an X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) demonstrator onto an aircraft elevator aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush     |     U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Timothy Walter

The X-47B has a wingspan of about 62 feet (19 metres) and weighs 14,000 pounds (6,350 kilograms), versus nearly 49 feet (15 metres) and about 1,100 pounds (500 kilograms) for the Predator.

[brityank]

Several good large pics at the site, along with decent info.

[jeffc]

Good training would be a good combat flight sim. I haven't seen one in years, though. I'd like to see what Gunship (Microprose) would look like today. I played it on a C-64 and it was a blast.

Microprose made some good flight sims. F15 Strike Eagle was a beast to land, but Spectrum Holobyte's Falcon 4.0 was too hard for me, LOL! You almost had to go to real flight school to learn how to fly that thing.

[sten]

is it fully autonomous or is it remotely controlled?

i’m fine with remotely controlled... fully autonomous makes me nervous, and i’ve been in the tech sector for 30+ years.

not nervous for cool tech. that’s always fun. nervous for a future of a fully autonomous military, staffed by a handful of people controlled by one dictator in the WH

[Jacquerie]

The Navy plans to show the drone can be refuelled in flight, which would give it even greater range.

Incredible.

[Paladin2]

[Paladin2]

Robo-cop, in the sky.

[brityank]

is it fully autonomous or is it remotely controlled?

From what I've read here and other places, it can be both. Personal opinion is that if used for any interdiction of opposing troops then it must be remotely controlled, keep Man-in-the-Loop. Surveillance and monitoring can be autonomous.

[Steely Tom]

Here is video.

[katana]

Read about it yesterday. Flies and performs programmed missions independently using an on board computer loaded with complex algorithms, but with human oversight for intervention if necessary. But there’s no one sitting in a bunker in Nevada flying the thing with a joy stick, which is the case with the Reaper and other current drones.

[Steely Tom]

Wow! The number of YouTube views jumped by almost 1300 in the first nine minutes after I posted that link!

[brityank]

Great link - many thanks.

Culled this from the Youtube description:

Published on Jul 11, 2013

An unmanned US jet has landed on an aircraft carrier in a first for the US Navy.

The X-47B jet carried out the maneouvre twice in a milestone that raises expectations about basing drones on ships.

The aircraft, nicknamed "Salty Dog 502" dropped its tailhook to snag a cable on the deck of the USS George H.W.Bush which was sailing in the Atlantic Ocean.

The X-47B has a range of 2,000 miles and can carry the equivalent of two precision-guided bombs.

Some experts question why these unmanned aircraft are needed by the Navy. However, there is the possibility they could be used against China and Iran who are developing weapons which could force the US to operate further away from shore. Report by Ashley Fudge. ITN

[Vermont Lt]

I just drove through New Mexico, AZ, and Nevada. We don’t see a lot of these drones in the East. They were all over the place out there. I know they were training, but wow. Kind of creepy knowing that my old RC plane has grown up.

[brityank]

Was 561 when I first watched - just reloaded and got 1835. Lots of eyeballs out there! Thanks again.

[miliantnutcase]

Skynet approves!

[Lets Roll NOW]

They will only hunt Freepers, if they have to hunt the Taliban they would run out of fuel before O would OK the strike.

[Paladin2]

How many views were kicked off by NSA?

[GBA]

Rocket-style. Can't top the original. Still the best.

What an amazing ride that would have been, any phase of its career.

[Carbonsteel]

This thing is proving to be very capable, affordable, and it seems to actually work.

This is about the time Obama usually cancels or shuts down a program.

[beelzepug]

The B-47 had to be one of the sexiest bombers ever built. That thing was beautiful. Lots of good footage in the Jimmy Stewart movie.

[sten]

fully autonomous UCAVs are not good for a free society... as it only takes a few at the top to directly wield unimaginable power... be it via drones or bunker launched missiles.

no actual people means higher probability of very bad things happening