[Mariner]

This is the future of air warfare.

Drones clustered around and in advance of manned aircraft.

The F-35 was designed for this and can control them through data transmission over it's radar transmitter, the most powerful in the fighter world.

But any platform would do. Just upgrade the avionics and fire control.

Also, these drone don't have to be little, can be launched from a carrier or transport (out the back of C-130's?) aircraft and CAN be armed.

Imagine them in the hundred or even thousands.

[doug from upland]

Would love to see swarms over Chappaqua.

[tumblindice]

Michael Crichton wrote a book on something similar, but the swarms were made up of nano-particles.

[Mariner]

Just look at the target in the HUD, or touch it on the screen and the swarm takes it out. The survivors look for the next designated target.

Amazing and transformative technology.

[pleasenotcalifornia]

What do these mini drones use for weapons? Chinese firecrackers?

[glasseye]

I envision something like a cruz missile.
Launched from a safe standoff distance that can loiter at 40,000 feet near an enemy, watching, waiting & selecting targets.
When instructed to engage the missile opens and 1000 one pound drones glide toward the target area already with a specific target in mind.
Each of the mini drones could again loiter until the selected target is available then attack at will.
One could only imagine the battle field of tomorrow.

[grey_whiskers]

I imagine some capable Chinese and Russian scientists are coming up with a simple low-tech weapon which will render these toys useless.

Insects are prey. That is to say, *food*.

[grey_whiskers]

I hope they do better than these:

Dave Barry, "Flying Fish"

[Jeff Chandler]

This is what’s called a Force Multiplier.

[egfowler3]

For those interested, you can go to YouTube and search for “quadcopter drone swarm” and get a scary eye full.

[PLMerite]

I wonder how they'd do against a swarm attack by Iranian bass-boats?

Would they leave any for the Phalanx to chew up?