Top Secret Aircraft

[vanir]

I have an interesting thought about the UAV/ULCV. Let's take it to the limit, give it ten years of further development.

 

Okay so we've got this UAV capable of +13/-5g manouevres like it was nothing and 5 Mach. It's even got its own automated guidence system for limited autonomy and extensive hard-wiring for ECM. It's like a guided missile which releases independent warheads for attack.

Now you want a mothership to release these UAV's from, which are manned and have fully comprehensive ECM and AWACS for effective battlefield control. It should be relatively short range from the operating airspace of the UAV to increase datalink, ECM, communications and Intelligence effectiveness.

 

Have you noticed we've basically outlined something like a two-seater F-22 launching very advanced, guided missiles with multiple, independent warheads.

[Rev7]

There are many advantages to having UAV/UCAVs, as already stated. They would totally revolutionize the battlefield. Unfortunately, I believe what Darth_Yuthura pointed out, the F-22 & F-35 are probably going to be the lasted manned combat aircraft that we will see. :/

[Tommycat]

There are many advantages to having UAV/UCAVs, as already stated. They would totally revolutionize the battlefield. Unfortunately, I believe what Darth_Yuthura pointed out, the F-22 & F-35 are probably going to be the lasted manned combat aircraft that we will see. :/

 

My dad and I were having this very same argument the other day. There really is no reason to have manned aircraft these days. On that both of us agreed. However he did have a good point in that the military will always have it's "pilots" even if it's only by remote control. Computer technology has not progressed far enough for a computer to make a judgement call on an unknown situation. They are very good at reacting to a known situation, but factor in the fog of war, and limited intel, and you have a recipe for unnecessary deaths. The Air Force will be reluctant to change to unmanned aircraft mainly because it would have to come from the generals. Many of those generals are former pilots.