WHO'S THE GREATEST PILOT YOU EVER SAW?
Yesterday, we brought you some bad aviation news. Today, here�s some good news. Although, many pilots who make their livings flying, especially those in the military, might argue that this is actually bad news, because it could put them out of work! Of course, we are reporting on the technological advancement and eventual wide-scale deployment of uncrewed aircraft, specifically those used over the battlefields of the future. The U.S. Air Force has just unveiled the X-45. At a development cost of $250 million, actually quite cheap by large weapons systems procurement standards, it could be in service as early as 2010. The thing is sleek and flat, with simple lines. Essentially a squat fuselage fitted to trailing wings shaped like those on the larger, manned Stealth Bomber, there is no cockpit on this bird. There is, however, a dorsal air intake, rather than on the bottom of the craft where such components are normally located. The idea is that rather than sending human pilots into harm�s way, you put the pilot on the ground in a secure location and controlling the drone � or several drones at once � via ultra-high speed remote control. Makes sense, when you come right down to it. If such dangerous flying tasks like destroying enemy anti-aircraft sites can be done just as well or better with uncrewed delivery platforms, then why not? Aside from being safer for the pilot, drones such as the X-45 offer the potential to be deadlier to the enemy. When you take the pilot out of the equation, aircraft can be designed to be much more maneuverable. Much of what goes into modern military plane design, not to mention expense, is centered on bringing the human pilot back to base alive. This obviously places severe design constraints on the performance of the aircraft. It also goes into adding many redundant systems to the aircraft. Take the pilot out, and you can make planes that go faster, turn quicker, and cost much, much less. It is difficult to see this strategy not being adopted relatively quickly, once the necessary technology is in place.
current science news posted by ted at 7/16/2002 01:16:00 PM
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