They have to practise, practise, practise until they get it right. Once they have it under control the drone sytem should work. It's like anything else they have to run many trials to perfect the system, by that I mean cars, trucks, boats, ships, electronics, ect.
This is a logical step in the evolution of unmanned flight.
Perhaps, over the next 40 years, the Navy could put together an unmanned ship with a full compliment of unmanned warplanes. This would provide a very interesting dilemma for the Russians and Chinese, who are expected to deploy extremely lethal air defense and anti-carrier weapons systems over the same time period.
Maybe. As stated in the article, it sounds good on paper, but.... It's the unforeseen anomaly's that will cause the problems. Unusual burble, sudden deck pitch, last second fouled deck, engine, electronics or airframe malfunction on final, etc... That's a lot to risk to a computer and radio link to a controller, especially when the deck is packed up front with planes, people, fuel and bombs.
Perhaps a better shot at using VTOL Drones on carriers, it would seem to be more controllable.
That thing looks like a mini version of the stealth bomber. Anyways That thing will most likely be on autopilot durring the launches and landings. I know the manned fighters are on auto pilot durring take off and have the option of a/p durring landings.
Now I am digging way the hell back in my memory but F4B a/c had a unit called the datalink. It's designation was the ASW-21 or the ASW-125. This unit was a two way (on the 21) and a one way (the 125) communication between carrier and landing a/c. You could....we didn't because we didn't trust them...but you could do a stick free carrier landing. It is my understanding that it was accurate enough that you have to modify the coordinates occasionally to keep from burning a hole in the deck. Can drones be used on a carrier. Hell yes but only with additional weight and money in the drones.
as a former ordnancman on the flight deck It sounds like it would work, except I tell ya now no self respecting ordy would wench a small bomb like they describe. It would take too much time. Navy Ordies pride themselves on being able to load faster and safer by hand. They only use wenches and lifts if it is a 1000 I remember when we took the Tomcat through the A/G paces in 93. The original plan was to lower the rail to the bomb. The Redshirts quickly showed it was easier to take the bomb to the rail.
These things will work.And they will be lethal.Computers will take the cat shot,fly the mission profile and trap a 3wire EVERY time.Failures will happen,they always do.But all things being equal this will prove to be an effective system for both fixed wing and rotary wing UAVs.
AGBrina makes a good point also- I stated in a previous thread that perhaps a new class of carrier could be developed for UAV operations.Smaller,Faster and Cheaper than the big nukes.The big boys could dispatch little brother for crowd control or whatever else may come up.
If a tree falls in a forest and lands on a politician, even if you can't hear the tree or the screams, I'll bet you'd at least hear the applause. Paul Tindale
Mighty interesting. Of note is comment; "In fact, Northrop Grumman engineers tested a business jet equipped with a drone brain...". Maybe the Navy types will not be so thrilled. The Air Force wasn't exactly thrilled when the Army proved that it did not take a college education to be a pilot; you know the old Army phrase; "High school to flight school". Was this when the AF phased out their warrants? Perhaps we will end up with three and four stripers piloting these things. Probably could also take an old barge and trick it out to take these tings. Man, talk about cutting costs! From an old CW5, non-rated. Have a good day!!
Use the drones to find and UCAVs to go after fixed, heavily defended targets and let the manned assets do the time-critical, air superiority, and CAS missions.
