US navy launches carrier-borne drone - Polidicks

Via [URL="http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2013/05/201351510858146924.html?"]Al Jazeera[/URL]. [quote]A drone the size of a fighter jet has taken off from the deck of an US aircraft carrier for the first time in a test flight that could eventually open the way for the US to launch unmanned aircraft from almost anywhere in the world. The X-47B is the first drone designed to take off and land on a carrier, meaning the US military would not need permission from other countries to use their bases.[/quote] :(

Why :( That's cool.

[url]http://tiny[/url] url.com/c2tflc4 We did it first. :v: Still neat though.

Make a submarine with a drone catapult.

Hopefully the battlefield will be machines and not humans in the future. Sounds like the beggining of a terminator story.

The drone is cool but it's a shame we have to use that tech for military purposes...

[QUOTE=FoneJack;40655424]The drone is cool but it's a shame we have to use that tech for military purposes...[/QUOTE] I'd rather a robot take a bullet than a human.

[QUOTE=CabooseRvB;40660975]I'd rather a robot take a bullet than a human.[/QUOTE] I'd rather humans die because that is the whole reason nobody wants to go to war, it has a human cost.

[QUOTE=jewdozer;40654644]Hopefully the battlefield will be machines and not humans in the future. Sounds like the beggining of a terminator story.[/QUOTE] "The wars of the future will not be fought on the battlefield or at sea. They will be fought in space, or possibly on top of a very tall mountain. In either case, most of the actual fighting will be done by small robots. And as you go forth today remember always your duty is clear: To build and maintain those robots." -The Simpsons.

[QUOTE=laserguided;40661050]I'd rather humans die because that is the whole reason nobody wants to go to war, it has a human cost.[/QUOTE] Well it could sure as hell minimize it for those that utilize them.

The quote "From military to civilians" stays. Maybe we'll have something fancy like that in our hands in the near future. Just think, buy a massive yard for a massive airport for a massive drone! Massively spectacular!

[QUOTE=CabooseRvB;40661073]Well it could sure as hell minimize it[/QUOTE] I personally don't think stealth drones are ever going to be used for anything other than killing unsuspecting insurgents on the ground or destroying buildings. Probably wont minimize anything in my lifetime, supposing they don't slow ageing.

[QUOTE=laserguided;40661092]I personally don't think stealth drones are ever going to be used for anything other than killing unsuspecting insurgents on the ground or destroying buildings. Probably wont minimize anything in my lifetime, supposing they don't slow ageing.[/QUOTE] Count all the drones taken down over Iran and replace the word 'drone' for 'pilot killed/captured.'

[QUOTE=CabooseRvB;40661107]Count all the drones taken down over Iran and replace the word 'drone' for 'pilot killed/captured.'[/QUOTE] Well, the thing is.. if there were no such thing as drones they would not be as willing to sent drones into Iran. See what I'm saying? I hope stealth drones don't make countries more willing to invade.

[QUOTE=laserguided;40661115]Well, the thing is.. if there were no such thing as drones they would not be as willing to sent drones into Iran. See what I'm saying? I hope stealth drones don't make countries more willing to invade.[/QUOTE] Losing a drone in enemy territory still has the near-same consequences as to losing a piloted aircraft. The only major difference is that there isn't an American pilot involved going over enemy territory. Command that was responsible for those missions knew that and whether or not we had drones, they still would have assigned recon missions.

[QUOTE=jewdozer;40654644]Hopefully the battlefield will be machines and not humans in the future. Sounds like the beggining of a terminator story.[/QUOTE] What's the point of wars if there's no human element?

[QUOTE=cqbcat;40654105]Make a submarine with a drone catapult.[/QUOTE] They're already working on it, only instead of a catapult it's launched out of a missile tube. It's called a cormorant. [img]http://hight3ch.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/02/NewJet.jpg[/img]

I wonder if the rules of war will ever change to a point where robots will only be able to fight other robots .

[QUOTE=Badballer;40662611]I wonder if the rules of war will ever change to a point where robots will only be able to fight other robots .[/QUOTE] I feel like it will get to the point where the rich nations fight with robots, while the poor nations fight with people. The rich countries will hardly be effected by war (a tax hike at worst) while the poor countries will be loosing family, as well as workforce.

[QUOTE=jewdozer;40654644]Hopefully the battlefield will be machines and not humans in the future. Sounds like the beggining of a terminator story.[/QUOTE] Sounds like Black ops 2 plot actually

[QUOTE=FoneJack;40655424]The drone is cool but it's a shame we have to use that tech for military purposes...[/QUOTE] If it can handle the rigors and stresses of military action then it can be adopted into other things, it's not like all the stuff in drones are going to be only in drones forever.