Britain's Ministry of Defence unveils unmanned Taranis combat aircraft
By Donald Melanson 
posted July 12th 2010 6:22PM
posted July 12th 2010 6:22PM
Well, it looks like Boeing's unmanned Phantom Ray stealth aircraft just got a bit of company courtesy of Britain's Ministry of Defence. It's now unveiled the BAE-built Taranis, which is not just an unmanned aircraft, but an unmanned combat aircraft that promises to be capable of penetrating enemy territory -- as opposed to something like a Predator drone that's only suitable for use if the airspace is under control. As you might expect, complete details on the aircraft are still being kept under wraps, but the MoD says there's "more than a million man hours" behind it, and that its first flight trials will begin early next year. And, no, "unmanned" doesn't mean autonomous -- the MoD is quick to point out that, "should such systems enter into service, they will at all times be under the control of highly trained military crews on the ground."
[Thanks, Rob]
[Thanks, Rob]
ALL YOUR BASE ARE BELONG TO US, said Jeeves politely.
@Psyclotr0n
And America goes; "you set us up the bomb!".
So what, America has the stealth blimp!!!
http://www.thestealthblimp.com/
"By your command."
@Meekermoloko OMG! That was perfect!
@Psyclotr0n
Should it be "All your BASES BELONG to us"?
@darkmax
Hi, welcome to the internet! You must be new here!
@Psyclotr0n
And Gundam Wing is almost in full effect.
@NemZero
I need me a Gundam, though Zaku's are just as cool.
This reminds me of the movie Stealth.
@DTJ where's the any key?
@darkmax
Your internet privileges have been revoked.
@darkmax You have no chance to survive. Make your time.
@darkmax haha, wow.
I would also like to welcome you... to the internets
Is it weird of me that when I first read the title I read "Tardis"
@CJisohsocool
Me too :).
@JamesR
:D YAY IM NOT ALONE!!!
@CJisohsocool
It is weird to me that all the OML on all these UCAVs look the same.
Northrop Grumman NUCAS, Boeing Phantom Ray, and now this one...
@tikigawd
... what the hell r u going on about sir.
@CJisohsocool
I read 'Tanaris'. :P
I suppose it's good I gave that game up. *ugh*
@CJisohsocool You're not alone. I think that it would be better if it really was a Tardis, but this'll have to do.
Why do they make killing people look like a Vegas show?
@Ucvbn Bjfyuvs
That's exactly what I was thinking
@Ucvbn Bjfyuvs
Because if they made it look like killing people nobody would want to.
Than no governement would waste 5-10% of their budget on military and some very rich people (those who choose to make it look like a Vegas show) would become less rich.
@Flix C
Than => then.
Typo..
@Ucvbn Bjfyuvs
To distract the minds of people of what it actually does, which is as you say, Killing people.
@Ucvbn Bjfyuvs
i thought this was a Pink Floyd video...
@Ucvbn Bjfyuvs
"You have 10 seconds to comply..."
@Plazmic Flame
EDI?
@Flix C
5-10%? More like 50% :(
@spartandre217
"You have 5 seconds to comply..."
@spartandre217 Next thing we know, it'll be downloading Incubus tracks off torrent sites...
looks like a UFO from this angle.
@PathogenX. I can confirm they where sold this by Jabba the Hut
@PathogenX
No that's just a weather balloon
@PathogenX "Forget the fat lady. You're Obsessed with fat lady. Just get us out of here!"
@PathogenX
Looks like Henry from the Nick Jr. show "Oswald"
@PathogenX
this flew over china. i'm sure of it.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1293395/Chinese-airport-closed-UFO-spotted-city.html
@PathogenX
Save us Will Smith!
As these unmanned vehicles are being made, I constantly fear that Terminator will turn out to be reality someday and that Skynet would take over the world!
@statickeith
Nah, this isn't Skynet. Google is Skynet.
This is Stealth. A unmanned airplane with weapons that thinks for itself? Oh yea. Definitely Stealth.
All we're missing is Jessica Biel... Damn...
@BuryTheCastle No, this is Skynet:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8556585.stm
As if i wasn't paranoid enough....
@BuryTheCastle
"Tin-man will not comply".....
I liked that movie....wants more
These are dead projects. If they were real these companies who build them exclusivity for governments would not have release any info about them.
It's like our President would go on TV and announce how many nuclear warhead the country has. Why tell the enemy anything.
@Sea Urchin
It's been done before.
See; F-117 Nighthawk.
However, the military engaged in some strategic misinformation on that one; they said it was a fighter even though it was a ground attack aircraft to confuse hostile countries.
@Sea Urchin
The number of nuclear warheads is disclosed... more or less since the START and SALT treaties.
Moreover, when you have 10 000+ warheads, the numbers is everything but strategic intel.
What's important is how long for you to launch one anywhere is the world.
@Sea Urchin
The reason that they are releasing the information is the same reason you knew about the f22 program god knows how many years before it flew. The same reason that the F35 program had a television documentary made about it despite the fact the aircraft still isnt in service money. The cold war is over and these defence giants need to let there stock holders know that they are in the game and looking profitable. The government then has to account for its military spending and show that its research money is actually doing something. Why do you think so many DARPA projects end up on this website? lets be honest its not as if BAE has gone and open sourced the specs now has it just given a rough impression of the performance and released a few pics of what it looks like. This way the share holders know that the UK government is probably going to buy it and BAE is going to make much $$$$. Welcome to a less paranoid world Sea Urchin enjoy it.
Oh and the Pentagon does go on TV and announce how many nuclear warheads you have.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE64251X20100503?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews
@Sea Urchin Because if you scare the !@#$ out of potential enemies, you make them less likely to do something stupid to you.
@iiee yeap, that's how business is done these day's. Don't forget that all these story's and documentaries show us, the public, the bill payer, just what our money is going on.
I for one am pretty impressed we could come up with something looking that sexy!!
dear BAE, please please please please develop a sense of humor and put a cylon-style scanner in the front!