F16 Target practice anyone?
Discussion
http://video.boeing.com/services/player/bcpid11739...
Seems strange... I saw the "YF16" fly at Alconbury airshow as America's latest "all singing" fighter aircraft, now they're shooting them down as drones! Makes you feel old!
Seems strange... I saw the "YF16" fly at Alconbury airshow as America's latest "all singing" fighter aircraft, now they're shooting them down as drones! Makes you feel old!
el stovey said:
If these aircraft can be modified to fly as drones, why not use them against enemy forces instead? Seems an expensive way to go about target practice?
Part of the success of UAVs is their small(ish) size....difficult to shoot at, low noise levels......difficult to hear, and prolonged loiter capability......hours and hours over the target.Not sure an F16 meets many of those criteria.
Eric Mc said:
Most of America's front line fighters end up being converted to target drones when they are near the end of their careers. They don't get shot down - most of the time. It's only when the airframe is virtually out of hours that permission is granted for it to be destroyed by a hit.
A few B-47 bombers were converted to drones to provide target practice for the YF-12 as well.Apparently it's all part of some sinister plan .......
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24231077
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24231077
Some Nutter said:
However, a spokesman for the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots warned of the temptation to use them in warfare.
"I'm very concerned these could be used to target people on the ground," said Prof Noel Sharkey.
"I'm particularly worried about the high speed at which they can travel because they might not be able to distinguish their targets very clearly.
"There is every reason to believe that these so-called 'targets' could become a test bed for drone warfare, moving us closer and closer to automated killing."
Ye Gods - Take Me Now."I'm very concerned these could be used to target people on the ground," said Prof Noel Sharkey.
"I'm particularly worried about the high speed at which they can travel because they might not be able to distinguish their targets very clearly.
"There is every reason to believe that these so-called 'targets' could become a test bed for drone warfare, moving us closer and closer to automated killing."
Edited by Seight_Returns on Tuesday 24th September 19:22
mrloudly said:
I'm sure I read something about a Dominie (or Jetsream) being remotely operated with a safety crew on-board, can't find it now...
Jetstream 31.http://uk.news.yahoo.com/plane-without-pilot-trial...
Seight_Returns said:
ly it's all part of some sinister plan .......
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24231077
Says Noel Sharkey who had a lifesize cutout of a terminator in his office at Uni when I was there http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24231077
Some Nutter said:
However, a spokesman for the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots warned of the temptation to use them in warfare.
"I'm very concerned these could be used to target people on the ground," said Prof Noel Sharkey.
"I'm particularly worried about the high speed at which they can travel because they might not be able to distinguish their targets very clearly.
"There is every reason to believe that these so-called 'targets' could become a test bed for drone warfare, moving us closer and closer to automated killing."
Ye Gods - Take Me Now."I'm very concerned these could be used to target people on the ground," said Prof Noel Sharkey.
"I'm particularly worried about the high speed at which they can travel because they might not be able to distinguish their targets very clearly.
"There is every reason to believe that these so-called 'targets' could become a test bed for drone warfare, moving us closer and closer to automated killing."
Edited by Seight_Returns on Tuesday 24th September 19:22
Seight_Returns said:
Have there been any recent-ish UK drone conversions ? - aware of Meteor and Sea Vixen drones, but nothing more recent.
Not in recent years. Fireflies, Meteors and Canberras were all used at various times as target drones. A small number of Sea Vixens were converted in the mid 1970s but they were never used. We can thank the Sea Vixen drone programme for the survival of the last flying Sea Vixen. If it hadn't been set aside for drone conversion it more than likely would have been scrapped or at best, be sitting in a museum gathering dust.Since the 1960s, the British have used a specific target drone called the Jindivik.
The Sea Vixen always struck me as a strange choice for drone conversion - surely there must have been better candidates for simpler, easier and cheaper to operate high performance aircraft that were no longer required for their original roles in the early 70s and would have made equally viable Sky Flash targets - Gnat ? Hunter ?
Or was it simply that the SVs had plenty of airframe and engine hours and spares support left and no alternative use with the demise of the conventional carriers - vs the alternatives ?
Or was it simply that the SVs had plenty of airframe and engine hours and spares support left and no alternative use with the demise of the conventional carriers - vs the alternatives ?
Seight_Returns said:
The Sea Vixen always struck me as a strange choice for drone conversion - surely there must have been better candidates for simpler, easier and cheaper to operate high performance aircraft that were no longer required for their original roles in the early 70s and would have made equally viable Sky Flash targets - Gnat ? Hunter ?
Or was it simply that the SVs had plenty of airframe and engine hours and spares support left and no alternative use with the demise of the conventional carriers - vs the alternatives ?
The the early 70s Gnats and Hunters were still in widespread "normal" use.Or was it simply that the SVs had plenty of airframe and engine hours and spares support left and no alternative use with the demise of the conventional carriers - vs the alternatives ?
The Sea Vixens became available as the HMS Eagle was retired.
As I mentioned, it turned out that the Sea Vixen idea was shelved.
Meteors (of which hundreds had been built) remained in use right into the early 80s.
HoHoHo said:
Interesting one of the chase planes was an F4 - now that is an old aircraft!
That's because the new QF-16 programme is starting because they are running out of those QF-4 drones, in the same way that the QF-4 drone programme replaced the QF-106 program of the 1990's until they used all them up.Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff