B2 stealth bomber crashes in Guam...

.. but did it make any noise?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080223/ap_on_re_us/b2_crash

R

Oh... and a billion + dollars up in smoke... DARN!

Hope it wasn't a "forgot to close the flap" scenario. Do you think you'd get a warning for that?

R

Someone's career is over!

they're being phased out in favour of drones anyway

I guess so, but I'm sure the drones still can't do nigh-time drops of dozens of bombs from thousands of km away just yet (actually... or can they?).

R

No UCAV can do what B-2 can do.

the trouble is they need humans aboard who need to be rested and without humans they can keep those suckers in the air indefinitely and are not limited by aircrew to
aircraft ratios

without the aircrew the cost of maintaining them is diminished

So the guys flying the UCAVs don't need to be rested, huh? They're still awake, you know.

they're on the ground and can work shifts

but as technology improves more and more will be undertaken by the drone

I envisage even, drone air refuelling tankers, taking off and landing automatically, deployed on demand by the UCAV itself

Bit early to be saying that dont you think? Wait untill the investigation determines if it was human error or mechanical issues first.

The B-2 aint being phased out anytime soon. The F-117 was phased out recently but the B-2 still has many years of life left in it.

On the topic of autonomous air to air refueling, a test was just completed recently doing just that.

UAVs and UCAVs certainly are the way things are heading in terms of military aircraft (The US have said the F-35 will be their last manned fighter) but there is still something to be said for having a pilot in the A/C on the scene able to make a decision.

I still don't think whatever Lt Col was flying that thing will be moving up the list any time soon.

It's like ships. You run aground, that's it. You're gone.

Possibly, but two issues
1. If they're actually autonomous, you're giving an AI the ability to use weapons. Terminator, anybody?
2. If they're not autonomous, whatever data link they rely on is vulnerable to ECM.

They have advantages, but I don't think they're as great as everyone thinks. Excellent for what I call "war by choice" and the sort of deliberate operations carried out today, but I think manned a/c would be better in World War Three.

Big difference between running a ship aground and say for example having an engine failure at 1-200 feet and having to eject.

Running ship aground = someone fucked up

Engine failure = not a hell of alot you can do about it.

If however it is concluded that the pilots screwed the pooch or one of the techies didnt do their job properly then yea someones career is over.

and there was a story today that I can't find now on estonian style botnet cyber wars of tomorrow and enemies gaining control of command and control comms

all very lol