MIping
If you wish to be added to or removed from the Michigan ping list, please post or FReepmail me.
Posted on 04/13/2011 8:59:27 AM PDT by mandaladon
To fly the military's baddest, most technologically advanced planes, you once had to have what Tom Wolfe called "that righteous stuff" -- the willingness to strap yourself to a jet-fuel laden machine and push it to the very limits of its mechanical capabilities. Nowadays, unmanned systems have taken the human danger out of some combat missions, though human pilots remain at the sticks.
But not for long.
The Navy's experimental X-47B combat system won't be remotely piloted, but almost completely autonomous. Human involvement won't be of the stick-and-rudder variety, but handled with simple mouse clicks.
Speaking to reporters at the Sea Air Space convention near Washington, reps from both Northrop Grumman (maker of the X-47B) and the Navy said the X-47B would be piloted not by human handlers in some steel box in Nevada, but by 3.4 million lines of software code. The rest of its functions will be able to be handled by non-pilot personnel (or your average child), as they will only require clicks of the mouse; a click to turn on the engines, a click to taxi, a click to initiate takeoff, etc.
For flyboys proudly boasting their nighttime carrier landing cred, the idea is anathema. But given the difficulty and danger of carrier takeoffs and landings, automating them is one way to ensure safety--provided the systems work the way they are supposed to. The X-47B has already taken to the skies from Edwards AFB earlier this year, but this is a Navy plane. As such, it will begin "learning" the ins and outs of carrier operations via simulated takeoffs and landings starting in 2013.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
“You would think a reporter might know the meaning of words.”
Considering the “quality” of modern “reporting”, you’re kidding, right? ;)
“Now imagine that the only thing a future politician or bureaucrat needs in order to use such a force against domestic opponents is a bunch of people willing to click some mice.
“
Well, they already have that. I haven’t seen too many military refuse orders least they be prosecuted.
“Humans still need to make decisions”
Only about what are the targets and to shoot or not. The rest is easy enough for technology to handle. In fact, airplanes take off, navigate, and land every day without pilot intervention.
Actually it is. As much as people want to dismiss human fighter pilots they will always be needed for one thing. Funding for new planes. Aviation history is filled with stories of how pilots get the public behind aviation funding by selling it. The public then got on Congress. Barnstorming and air shows are just some of the things that they did and now do to meet that end. The masses aren’t going to rally behind a gadget that’s nothing more than a reusable guided rocket or bomb dispenser.
“Funding for new planes”
Fine. Through some reality into the dreamsicle! :)
That is by far the most significant barrier to unmanned vehicles of all sorts: Politics of pilots. They want to fly machines and they, for now although losing some clout, control the programs to develop new vehicles. I’m a pilot and would love to fly everything out there, but I am also an engineer and develop those unmanned systems. Ultimate capabilities are my goal.
NG did just recently demonstrate two UAVs closing in air as a mock refueling. Others have done it before.
MIping
If you wish to be added to or removed from the Michigan ping list, please post or FReepmail me.
The only bomber I loved more was the Convair B-58 Hustler. Man, now that I think of it, the targeting system was inhibited by low computer ability . . .
Great. Hope you don’t have any retirement money in Whiskey companies. They’ll all go down the tubes. Computers don’t sit in the club waving their hands in the air to simulate some tricky maneuver saying, “And there he was on my six!”
Click on pic for past Navair pings.
Post or FReepmail me if you wish to be enlisted in or discharged from the Navair Pinglist.
The only requirement for inclusion in the Navair Pinglist is an interest in Naval Aviation.
This is a medium to low volume pinglist.
Please don't tell me the green death ray is an artist rendering too!
And I though our defense spending was finally ending up with some real cool stuff...
YOU might think that, but anyone who's been reading newspapers or news magazines this past couple decades probably wouldn't make that mistake. Besides, the “reporter” took the word spellcheck suggested, or has it set to “automatically” correct spelling with a very limited dictionary...
/S
or maybe not...
“Well, they already have that. I haven’t seen too many military refuse orders least they be prosecuted.”
So, how many unlawful orders have you seen given?
Nor do they cry “Deadbug!”
Indeed, the very configuration of the B-47 pioneered is still around with today's commercial jet airliners.
Which raises another issue. Right now our Predator pilots sit stateside while their aircraft cruise over Afghanistan and Pakistan...or at least that's where the pilots are told the aircraft are. For all they know, they could be be over Western Utah...
I would think that a Predator pilot who's theoretically over Afghanistan who sees McDonalds Golden Arches off to the side is going to ask some questions...
My point is the pilot is relying on his mission briefing and map database. He may not be where he thinks he is.
It was very much the prototype for the 707 and the rest of the 7X7 series.
Speaking of prototypes, were the wings on the 367-80 "Dash-80" derived from the B-47?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.