Article

2010-03-12 Science & Technology

Air Force's Flying Assassin Robot Enters Final Development Stage

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Posted by Uncle Phester 2010-03-12 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 When does Skynet become sentient?

Posted by OldSpook 2010-03-12 00:07|| 2010-03-12 00:07|| Front Page Top

#2 At 1.8 million a pop, I doubt it is the final stage 'vehicle'. I'll guess it drops a final stage 'smart bullet'.

Posted by phil_b 2010-03-12 04:58|| 2010-03-12 04:58|| Front Page Top

#3 That's the entire phase 3 contract amount. The drone looks throwaway and, from the photo, blows itself up as a little claymore mine.

Posted by ed 2010-03-12 07:58|| 2010-03-12 07:58|| Front Page Top

#4 Yep Ed. Didn't realize the pic was the vehicle itself. It looks about 2 feet long. The air force officer time to fly it would probably cost more.

I'm a fan of targetted assasination as the right strategy in the WoT, but worry a little that when you have a hammer, everything is a nail.

Posted by phil_b 2010-03-12 08:42|| 2010-03-12 08:42|| Front Page Top

#5 Right after 9-11 I conceived something very similar - disposable Radio Shack remote-controlled planes with video cam and explosive charge. Deployed from mother ship over target area in 'eggshells' with parachutes that open in flight. 'Pilots' in mothership check out people & places of interest until the drone runs out of fuel or finds a target, then 'boom.'

Posted by Glenmore 2010-03-12 13:18|| 2010-03-12 13:18|| Front Page Top

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