Article

2010-11-08 Science & Technology

Delays in F-35 causing major improments in UAVs

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Water Modem 2010-11-08 17:00|| || Front Page|| [4 views ] Top

#1 Manned fighters have begun their march towards obsolescence.

Posted by DarthVader 2010-11-08 17:21|| 2010-11-08 17:21|| Front Page Top

#2 Must stay inside others' OODA Loop.

Posted by Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division 2010-11-08 19:42|| 2010-11-08 19:42|| Front Page Top

#3 Mixed feelings on this: UAVS can do more with less, especially since there is no need for man-support systems, and the G-limit for turns and other manuvers would be limited by structural considerations rather than what a human can stand as well as all the other garbage needed to support him/her. (Really don't want to read an article in the future that says the Lawn Dart was the last manned aircraft retired from the USN).
OTOH; my company has a long term contract working on a lot of JSF partznpieces, if that were to go away, there would be a huge hole in production (read workforce)
OTOOH; as a taxpayer, saving $$ is always a good thing.

Posted by USN,Ret 2010-11-08 19:54|| 2010-11-08 19:54|| Front Page Top

#4 As a former Air Force navigator and electronic warfare officer, I have no great appreciation of or love for pilots, but UAVs lack the crucial element of judgement. The most sophisticated armed UAV in the world, the MQ-9 Reaper still requires a pilot. If the communication link with the Ground Control Station is lost, the system goes "lost link" and returns to base. The AI in even an advanced UCAS is no substitute for human judgement. The real problem faced by by the USAF, USN, and USMC fighters is a lack of worthy opponents.

Posted by rwv 2010-11-08 21:27|| 2010-11-08 21:27|| Front Page Top

#5 The real problem faced by by the USAF, USN, and USMC fighters is a lack of worthy opponents.

Because of the love I bear for y'all, I can live with that, rwv.

Posted by trailing wife 2010-11-08 21:30|| 2010-11-08 21:30|| Front Page Top

#6 I've gotten the vague impression that the majority of the problems with the F-35 are caused by the vtol variant, which is the most complex one, and supposed to enter service first, and that cutting it away would greatly simplify the program.

Is that true?

Posted by Thing From Snowy Mountain 2010-11-08 21:48|| 2010-11-08 21:48|| Front Page Top

23:52 OldSpook
23:51 KBK
21:58 Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division
21:51 Thing From Snowy Mountain
21:49 Halliburton - Mysterious Conspiracy Division
21:48 Thing From Snowy Mountain
21:34 Alaska Paul
21:30 trailing wife
21:27 rwv
21:26 rammer
21:15 gorb
21:13 gorb
21:08 gorb
20:59 European Conservative
20:55 Water Modem
20:53 Frank G
20:39 Swamp Blondie
20:37 Redneck Jim
20:37 Tom--Pa
20:36 Redneck Jim
20:34 Redneck Jim
20:31 Redneck Jim
20:29 Redneck Jim
20:26 Redneck Jim