Fifth Generation Fighter Jets

[Ken Dowdy]

Neat video:

http://player.vimeo.com/video/3437045?autoplay=1

 

[Ale-8(1)]

Fascinating.

Whenever I see a video of one of our super-advanced bits of hardware, I cannot help but wonder at what the next two or three generations THAT MUST ALREADY BE IN SECRET TESTING will deliver.

:shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[Mike Armstrong]

I suspect that the next generations of fighters won't have pilots. That brings up problems when they are in the close support role, but makes them a lot cheaper and easier to add heavy features like VTOL. And no worries about G-forces.

 

[tulsamal]

And no worries about G-forces.

Yeah, that's the big design advantage. Come up with a way to make the airframe survive a 20 G force direction change and don't worry about killing the pilot!

Which is, of course, the other big plus of robot plans. They can be committed into a combat role without putting extremely experienced and valuable pilots into a high danger zone. Which leads to a potential problem... wouldn't a President or other decision maker be MORE likely to use military force if they didn't have to worry about American military casualties?

Gregg

 

[Ale-8(1)]

This'll all be well and good, until Skynet achieves self-awareness . . .

:twisted:

 

[TiteGroups]

I guess it'll be a war of financial attrition rather than human.