Navy gears up for unmanned combat aircraft

While the idea of an autonomous flying military bot is far from new, the US Navy has taken a first step toward "developing an unmanned combat aircraft that some advocates say could compete with Lockheed Martin's F-35 joint strike fighter." Northrop Grumman was awarded a $636 million contract to design, build, and fly an Unmanned Combat Air System "that would operate from the decks of the Navy's giant nuclear-powered aircraft carriers," and if things goes as planned, we could see the gunners join our forces "within 10 to 15 years." And considering that we're already deploying land-based mechanical soldiers to fire our weapons, we'd say the full-fledged robotic army is certainly closing in.

[Image courtesy of DefenseTech, thanks Jason]

[steve @ Aug 4th 2007 12:07PM]

so, is SkyNet going to be commanding these fully armed, unmanned fighter jets? Yea, I think I'm going to start working on that fallout shelter again.....

[Josh @ Aug 4th 2007 12:24PM]

Posting SkyNet comments on every one of these stories is officially tired.

[Mr.Sparkle @ Aug 4th 2007 12:07PM]

A drone air force is a slightly more likely prospect than a robotic army for the foreseeable future.

That is, the current drones mimic piloted aircraft better than this robot trolley with a glued on gun mimics a soldier.

[Brian @ Aug 4th 2007 12:13PM]

Cue Godsmack music...

[grey.ghost @ Aug 4th 2007 12:41PM]

interestingly enough, Northrop Grumman is a subsidiary of Ugobe...

[bobbbio @ Aug 4th 2007 12:41PM]

I long for the days when wars will be fought entirely by robots on both sides. It'll be so entertaining for both sides to just sit back and watch that they'll forget why they're fighting in the first place.

[paul34 @ Aug 4th 2007 1:46PM]

Well, until either one of two things happen:

1) The robots are smart and efficient, so they will destroy each other... precipitating "conventional" war again
2) The robots will realize "OMGWTFBBQ why are we killing each other just to satisfy the needs of HU-MANS? Let's kill the humans AND BE FREE!!"

#2... :-/

[Trenton @ Aug 4th 2007 6:45PM]

Yeah, I saw that episode of Star Trek, too.

[siriusfox @ Aug 4th 2007 12:44PM]

It will happen guys. Prototypes of these planes have already been built. Have you ever heard of the UCAS project? Unmanned Combat Air Systems. These things will be used all over the place. As of right now though, they will follow and hunt, and before firing will ask if they can take the opponent down. After clearance they will engage.

It will be Drones, but NOT without humans.

This is the next technology. F-22 was the next gen plane half a decade ago, and in the upcomming decade, it'll be unmanned planes.

[grey.ghost @ Aug 4th 2007 2:36PM]

OMG! he is sooo right! i saw that Stealth also ~ and that was based on a true story. mmmm jessica biel is so hot.

[Simon @ Aug 4th 2007 12:47PM]

Some day, we will fight with robots. Matrix is going to be true.

[nih @ Aug 4th 2007 12:55PM]

Screw you lot, I'm joining the robots first chance I get. I know where my loyalties lie, and it involves some sort of awesome, human-crushing exoskeleton!

[Big Ed @ Aug 4th 2007 1:23PM]

Yes, but can it play Doom?

[Mike @ Aug 4th 2007 1:37PM]

not really the right time for that one dude

[philadelphonic @ Aug 4th 2007 2:07PM]

Actually, the aircraft that won that contract is made by Northrop-Grumman, who is also a F-35 team member. It would not compete with JSF.

[TNP @ Aug 4th 2007 2:13PM]

Skynet? No. Accidental shoot-down of our own planes - including civil aircraft? You can bet your frail, fallible human ass.

[Jason Falk @ Aug 4th 2007 2:25PM]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0382992/plotsummary
hmm...

[Mr. Yetti @ Aug 4th 2007 2:26PM]

I was thinking more along the lines of the semi-disposable drones in RahXephon when I saw this.

[BillyBob @ Aug 4th 2007 3:33PM]

Let's cut out the middleman and go straight for "A Taste of Armageddon":
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0708414/

[Lee Decker @ Aug 4th 2007 3:36PM]

This is great news... for the profits of the military-industrial complex.

A trillion here, a trillion there and pretty soon you're talking real money.

No matter this is exactly what we need to defend ourselves against oppressed Third World camel riders.

[Kaido @ Aug 4th 2007 4:05PM]

Didn't anyone see the movie "Stealth" ??

[Mike @ Aug 5th 2007 5:46PM]

yes, it almost made me physically sick. The technobabble was hilarious though.

[pauly @ Aug 4th 2007 4:29PM]

Look boss the drones are coming the drones!
Sounds similar to what Boeing is doing. http://www.robotliving.com/2007/06/20/robocopter/

[Mike @ Aug 4th 2007 5:31PM]

I, for one... no, sorry, I can't do this anymore!

[ryan @ Aug 4th 2007 6:31PM]

well someone must!
and I, for one, welcome our autonomous, aviatic robotic overlords.

[Bryan @ Aug 4th 2007 8:05PM]

UCAV's have been on the horizon since UAV's have been thought of. You have to remember that almost every evoloution of aviation assets in combat, started out as reconnaisance. The first manned military aircraft performed recon type missions first. It was only natural for them to take on a combat role soon after.

The X-45's (not sure of the designation they've been give as of now) are actually to be used sometime this year in combat in the obvious hot spots. They will be controlled on the ground by pilots in a room. The major advantage to tihs, is to have a jet platform, that are capable of maneuvers that a pilot could'nt withstand within a cockpit. G's are no longer an issue. Remember that most modern fighters are capapble of putting streeses on the human body, that not even a g-suit will keep you awake.

Autonomous UCAV's.....yeah it'll happen. Probably sooner than you think.

[Bryan @ Aug 4th 2007 10:56PM]

Oh, one more thing to add.


The Predator and Globalhawk drones/UAVs initially started out to do JUST recon. Now they're strapping Hellfires to the Predator and actually firing upon enemy targets.

Natural evoloution of the concept.........

[Rob @ Aug 5th 2007 12:36AM]

Well seeing as the white house is already unmanned, this shouldn't come as a surprise at all...

[Rohit Kapur @ Aug 5th 2007 5:12PM]

LOL! Comment. . . Of The Century!

[starbukk @ Aug 5th 2007 2:48AM]

I've seen the end of this story already...not good for the humans! I just wish I could be around when the hot cylons arrive, oh well.

[Chase @ Aug 5th 2007 2:28PM]

This is Skynet automated bomber 01 requesting permission to launch one nuclear missile at New York City.

Roger 01, proceed with bombing run.

[Skribble @ Aug 5th 2007 6:08PM]

I've seen this movie, EDDIE goes crazy, kills some things he's not supposed to, endangers other real peoples lives but ultimately saves the day. Necessary losses, haha.

[Torben @ Aug 6th 2007 8:45AM]

Sounds like the future. No more dead pilots, good!

YET, what happens to learning from having suffered losses? What happened to being reasonable spenders? And why not spend some of that RD cash on bridges throughout the country?

[PhAsR @ Aug 6th 2007 11:51AM]

i think the robot revolution will be essential to our technological development! ^^ becuase the robots will keep developing at a hight speed, and we can obtain the technology from them, if we survive XD.

[Eludium-Q36 @ Aug 6th 2007 9:01PM]

"Lee Decker" had it right, this has nothing to do with defense and everything to do with perpetuating the military-industrial complex. And don't be fooled, as with present-day fighter jets these little UCAV marvels won't be US-exclusives, oh no, expect them to exported (Global Free Trade) from the mists of England to the desert kingdoms of the Middle East to our friends/allies in the Far East and lower Pacific. My advice ? Buy all the stock you can afford of the winning contractor, I am not sh*ting you.