Unmanned combat jet set to fly from aircraft carrier

[Wildfire]

While China's 3.5G (Generation) J-15 is basking in the limelight, a 5.0G prototype of the stealth X-47B unmanned
combat air system (UCAS) is getting ready to begin flight trials from onboard a US Navy aircraft carrier.

The Northrop Grumman-designed tailless, autonomous stealth plane was hoisted on board the Navy's aircraft carrier
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) on Nov. 26 to begin its first carrier-based testing.

The X-47B, which boasts a wingspan of more than 62 feet (wider than that of an F/A-18 Super Hornet), will demonstrate
seamless integration into carrier flight deck operations through various tests.

This is the first time when a US Navy carrier will host test operations for an unmanned aircraft.

<a href="http://s1267.beta.photobucket.com/user/365Wildfire/library/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/100215-n-0000x-001.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"/></a>

"This is a very important moment for the X-47B," said Capt. Jaime Engdahl, the Navy's UCAS Programme Manager. "The
moment the aircraft set down on Truman's deck was the moment it officially met the fleet."

"Bringing the X-47B aboard Truman is a big milestone for the programme. We've been testing the aircraft for the last several
years and to finally put it on a ship is so exciting. If these tests are successful, they will prove that the future for unmanned
aircraft is wide open," said Cmdr. Kevin Watkins, N-UCAS's flight test director.

While technical challenges are to be expected when introducing the new system to a carrier's flight deck, Engdahl said he
expects the tests to be successful citing strong teamwork between his team and Truman's crew.

 

[Char_Azn]

I have no doubts in the capability of unmanned drones in bombing missions. I'm more interested to know how well they perform in air to air combat

 

[Cestbon]

Very bias news !!
Who the fuck is the reporter.
J-15 is 4th generation fighter but report as 3.5G. With upgrade is 4.5G plane.

Drone never a good dogfight plane. Drone more like suicide plan.

 

[watchman8]

I have no doubts in the capability of unmanned drones in bombing missions. I'm more interested to know how well they perform in air to air combat

Why bother with such tactics? Just fire off missiles to get rid of pesky fighter jets. The human pilots will scatter faster than flies and dump their bombs into the seas before heading home.

 

[syed putra]

northrop-grumman?
The guys who built the F-5's and F-16's on the same bed?
I thought they were competitors.

 

[Jah_rastafar_I]

Very bias news !!
Who the fuck is the reporter.
J-15 is 4th generation fighter but report as 3.5G. With upgrade is 4.5G plane.

Drone never a good dogfight plane. Drone more like suicide plan.

It's like this la. No matter what type of plane china produces = lousy. No matter what type of plane and how it fucks up by the US = always good. You can ask narong and gang about this. There's no need to even debate on logic at all.

 

[jubilee1919]

northrop-grumman?
The guys who built the F-5's and F-16's on the same bed?
I thought they were competitors.

They merged in 1994.

 

[eatshitndie]

thanks to former sec-def robert gates. without his toughness and unrelentless grit to get the navy admirals in line at the pentagon while he was in charge, this would not have happened sooner.

 

[Devil Within]

Remote control plane? One EMP bomb would fried all their electronics and rendered them useless.

 

[sleaguepunter]

I have no doubts in the capability of unmanned drones in bombing missions. I'm more interested to know how well they perform in air to air combat

since from external already look like the B2 shealth bomber then no way it design for air to air mission. more for night bombing mission, targeting well defended highly prized target such as underground bunkers, airbases, nuclear silos, bridge span etc etc...

 

[jubilee1919]

since from external already look like the B2 shealth bomber then no way it design for air to air mission. more for night bombing mission, targeting well defended highly prized target such as underground bunkers, airbases, nuclear silos, bridge span etc etc...

Alamak how to use drones for air to air combat?:*:

 

[Kinana]

I have no doubts in the capability of unmanned drones in bombing missions. I'm more interested to know how well they perform in air to air combat

Air to air combat today is radar based and beyond visual range. In other words, visuals are not necessary before firing a missile and therefore the logical way forward would be unmanned planes.

 

[sleaguepunter]

Alamak how to use drones for air to air combat?:*:

not say cannot but kill rate will be very low.

 

[eatshitndie]

Air to air combat today is radar based and beyond visual range. In other words, visuals are not necessary before firing a missile and therefore the logical way forward would be unmanned planes.

folks are prone to associate all air to air combat with dogfights. dogfights these days are mainly meant for the movies. you're wise beyond your ears, oopps i mean years. you shall be rewarded with brownie points.

 

[jubilee1919]

not say cannot but kill rate will be very low.

So far no manufacturer has done any serious study on this. It does not exist at this time.

 

[mayliewwan]

Looks more like a remake of Hitler's batwing fighter the Horten 229. Saw it on Discovery or History channel last month

since from external already look like the B2 shealth bomber then no way it design for air to air mission. more for night bombing mission, targeting well defended highly prized target such as underground bunkers, airbases, nuclear silos, bridge span etc etc...

 

[Leongsam]

I have no doubts in the capability of unmanned drones in bombing missions. I'm more interested to know how well they perform in air to air combat

With advanced stealth technology, air to air combat is a thing of the past. It simply isn't necessary.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

It's like this la. No matter what type of plane china produces = lousy. No matter what type of plane and how it fucks up by the US = always good. You can ask narong and gang about this. There's no need to even debate on logic at all.

Siang Kar Pager?

It's true la....PRC is making leaps and bounds and in future will catch up even surpass US....the possibility is there.
But in the meantime whilst they still leaning how to land on a carrier while US already landing drones....how to compare?
China is machiam the primary school kid in gifted programme while US is the post graduate student....want to catch up can but wait long long first

 

[Wildfire]

With advanced stealth technology, air to air combat is a thing of the past. It simply isn't necessary.

It's a misconception to say that with stealth, air to air combat (dogfight) is redundant. Modern air to air combats is and will continue to be
an integral task of a fighter pilot (stealth and non-stealth inclusive), albeit at longer range due to improved missile technology, detection
and guidance systems.

Beyond visual range missile performance is still horrible in real combat even using "our latest AIM-120's". The AIM-120 has only had a 46%
kill rate in actual beyond visual range (BVR) engagements against 3rd rate non-ECM fighters while not manoeuvring; (USAF air to air missile
philosophy-19Nov2012)

Also the majority of other BVR kills where in fact barely outside of visual range.

Stealth's biggest advantage in air to air combat is that you are being able to kill the bad guy before he sees you....but if the missiles your
stealth aircraft are carrying can't hit when fired against a modern foe then it is kind of moot.

Due to all of the above a within visual range merge is far more likely in real combat against a modern nation than you would like to believe if
anyone is going to be doing any actual killing .

Stealth no longer becomes a major issue and the typical heavy load of stand-off missile become a huge liability.

In an actual major war of attrition against a relatively advanced foe, they would simply field a ton of much cheaper and much easier to build
fighters running jammers and with modern missile packages just to eat through all of your fancy stealth fighters before they knock you out.

Russia and China can churn out something like 5 to 7 advanced Su-33s and J-15s with the latest electronic jamming kits for every one F-22
or F-35.

In fact some of these kits have been shown to make BVR missiles almost futile.

This concept of dogfight had been borne out in Red Flag exercise in Alaska by the German Air Force Luftwaffe Eurofighter Typhoons against F-22
Raptors in June 2012. (Eurofighter Typhoon take advantage, Fighter F-22 Raptor loses 79 billion dollar - Fnf Defence Correspondent 31 July 2012.)

 

[Cestbon]

Just few Aircraft carrier and few hundred plan and few atom bomb is stealmate. Between USA and any country.
No need to debate further.