https://warisboring.com/u-s-air-force-sends-robotic-f-16s-into-mock-combat/
Quote"This demonstration is an important milestone in AFRL's maturation of technologies needed to integrate manned and unmanned aircraft in a strike package," Capt. Andrew Petry, an AFRL engineer, said in a Lockheed press release.
"We've not only shown how an unmanned combat air vehicle can perform its mission when things go as planned, but also how it will react and adapt to unforeseen obstacles along the way."
Whoa.....!
(https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/warisboring.com/images/qf-16_hero_lrg_01_1280x720-970x350.jpg)
QuoteIt's not clear who would authorize the UCAV to drop bombs or fire missiles. U.S. military policy dictates that a human operator authorize a drone to deploy weaponry. Presumably, the pilot in a manned-unmanned formation would be responsible for commanding his robot wingman to open fire.
The ultimate goal of the Loyal Wingman initiative is to pair manned, fifth-generation stealth fighters with unmanned versions of older jets — in order to boost the lethality of both in air combat.
"Presumably..." until Skynet is fully functional.
(https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/warisboring.com/images/QF-16-130919-F-ZN655-035-1024x662.jpg)
Man-o-man...! The stuff they can do with Drones now, and put that kind of autonomous technology into an F-16....?
the world is rapidly changing - we could have unmanned aerial fighters duking it out in no time!