X-47B first arrested landing on USS GHW BUSH…
Lots more work to do, including “Blue Water” ops, e.g. really crappy weather, etc…
But good for them!
An now a blast from the past…
Well, actually two… This is the full Discovery program on Top Gun (44 minutes)
Haze gray and underway. It makes me proud.
I for one am highly suspicious of our new robot overlords and am considering membership in the Meat Bag Maquis.
Is kinda cool though.
BGM
Meh…
Without one of our lads at the controls, I’d rather watch paint dry.
LL- Considering the failures lately, yes it does!!!
BGM- 🙂 We gotta have ‘some’ options right???
Walter- I ‘think’ it will get exciting when the weather is not CAVU, with a sea state zero… Just sayin…
So it’s not clear in the articles I’ve read but what about moving the aircraft around on deck? A Hornet can back up to release the wire and taxi to it’s tie-down point after landing under the direction of a yellow shirt. So can the -47 “see” ground/deck personnel and follow their hand signals or does it shut down after the trap and require a tug?
And how about launch? If the drone requires “extra” handling by the tug won’t it slow down the rate of launches and recoveries?
BGM
Is the next step landing on the canted (right terminology?) deck?
And how can they launch the drone?
There’s no pilot to salute the shooter.
How does he know when to squeeze the CMFD* button?
:snicker:
*Clear My F—ing Deck
BGM
@BGMiller: There’s a “ground” controller out there on the flight deck to drive the X47 around, no tug required.
@WSF: Nope, all carrier decks in the USN are angled. The next step is to get this bird to land at night or in bad weather, then both at night AND bad weather.
Old NFO, I have to say that I’m less and less of a fan of drones. I think it’s because I’m less and less trustful of the Government, and that’s starting to rub off on the military.
I wish it weren’t so, but this doesn’t look like the country I grew up in.
The X-47B looked small compared to other jets. But I wonder, on a small ship I can see the command allowing beards, but on a carrier? I noticed one of the guys watching the launch had a beard. Was he a civilian on board inspecting the planes capabilities?
@Scott
So is the shipboard “ground” controller operating the drone based on a camera feed from the drone or from an overhead view of the deck (either by video or “real”) or is he/she standing on deck with a control box similar to those used for all sorts of heavy equipment?
BGM
My understanding is that the aircraft is autonomous, in that it carries a sensor suite and enough computing power to perform the landing itself – no external control required.
Personally, I expect to see the landing capability built into all future carrier-based aircraft, allowing the best combat pilots to fly carrier-ops, rather than being limited to the sub-set that can “fly the ball”.
Not long after that, the civilian market will have it in commercial jets – making the recent San Francisco crash even more unlikely.
BGM/Scott- BGM, Scott is correct, if you watch the video, you will see a guy in a flight helmet and with a big ‘belt’ on, that is the ground controller, standing to the left of the shooter.
BP- Can’t disagree…
CP- Contractor for NG observing/supporting the launch/recovery.
BGM- see above
Well, it looks like this is a PERFECT Tool to replace all those Air Force “Sorta Fighter Jocks” and let the REAL ONES go to Sea.
“I don’t know, but it’s been said, Air Force Wings are made of Lead…” ; )
Maverick and Goose just became obsolete.
CP, the X-47 is just proof-of-concept to wring out the hardware; I’m sure the final product is going to be bigger and more complicated.
Seems they’re being awfully coy about showing the ’47 actually trapping. Both videos I’ve seen show it alll-most touching down, and then a break and then showing it pulling out the wire.
And maybe it’s just me, but it looks like the landing gear was stolen off an A-6.
Great, they got the three wire on what looks to be a bright sunshiny day and flat calm seas. I’ll be impressed when they do in at night, no moon, 10-15 foot following swells, a cross wind, and the deck corkscrewing like a slinky on steroids.
Was that an “OK 3?”
The follow-on “operational” drone aircraft isn’t much bigger. . . the flying wing profile is VERY deck space efficient, and leaving out the meatservos in a zoomsuit saves a lot of cubage, too.
What I do like about drones like this program is heading for is the possibilities for things like SEAD or deep strikes.
If a SuperBug or a Grizzly hunting SAMs doesn’t come back, you’re out an expensive aircraft (which may need to be secured or otherwise sterilized) AND one or two aviators (who may or may not need CSAR support right friggin’ NOW).
If an UCLASS doesn’t come back, it’s just a logistics problem (that might require the remains be secured or sterilized). Vape the crash site (if needed), combat loss that sucker, and submit a requisition for a critical replacement. No letters, no notification teams, no need to send the SEALs in to fetch the servos.
The after effects of an arrested landing on a Bush could in all probability be detrimental to the main frame operator, or not… more coffee needed here…
Sendarious- Actually that capability already exists both for carriers, and for airliners. Carrier pilots ONLY use it when it’s REALLY bad out there… Some airlines mandate it these days… sigh
Les- LOL
Rick- There are a couple of full shots out there somewhere, and yeah it does kinda look like A-6 gear (if it works, it ain’t wrong)
25Z- OH yeah, THAT will be the proof…
Mitch- Yep!
Geodk- Good points all!
Brighid- Only if s/he was standing in the rollout area… 🙂