Could killer drones replace manned aircraft on carriers?

etech3 · 11-30-2012, 02:17 PM

OK here's a question for you. Could the X-47B drone replace manned fighter aircraft on US carriers?

Flys further and can stay in the air longer.

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012...-killer-drone/

sundialsvcs · 11-30-2012, 02:51 PM

Uh huh... "This is your Captain speaking ... from a thousand miles away. You are on the world's first drone airliner. Abort, Retry, or Fail?"

Personally, I think we spend vastly too much money right now on vastly too much "high-tech military," so that's kind of a moot question to me. But if anyone ever tries to remove the person from the cockpit of a commercial plane that I'm supposed to be riding on ... I'll walk.

jefro · 11-30-2012, 08:03 PM

Not a question of if but when.

Nbiser · 12-01-2012, 09:34 PM

I consider myself an amateur military historian-strategist....so here goes. I think that there may be a somewhat even divider between computer operated drones and aircraft manned by pilots. Though the drones may be used often there will always be a place for the manned aircraft. Computers are only so intelligent, at least so far.

weirdwolf · 12-02-2012, 11:22 PM

Strike/Reconnaissance/Electronic Warfare to some degree possibly, Yes, Air Superiority/CAP, Don't see it.
The EA-18g Growler (Super Hornet - Max Speed Mach 1.8 - 1,190 mph) is the fairly new replacement for the EA-6B Prowler (Max Speed 651 mph, but twice the range) in the electronic warfare role.