"Does the US Need Long-Range Autonomous Stealthy Drones?" Topic

Writing in Proceedings magazine, Dave Majumdar argues:

…the Department of Defense should invest in a long-range stealthy autonomous combat air vehicle that can operate deep behind enemy lines and engage adversaries without human intervention. Autonomy might be the only effective way for a long-range unmanned aircraft to operate in a theater where the United States faces off against a near-peer potential adversary…

Do you agree?

Yes, but what do we do when they decide to attack their masters?

I think future fighters will be ROV/drones capable of performing 10+ Gs of maneuvering and have all the bells & whistles to dpminate the skies, but I dont think the DoD is ready to go with fully autonomous weapons systems.

…I dont think the DoD is ready to go with fully autonomous weapons systems.

Circumstances may force their hand, if drones can't stay in contact at any significant range due to cyber warfare. And controlling drones at long ranges makes them too slow to react.

"Do you agree?"

Is this a trick question? A little attempt at entrapment perhaps?

Will I get into trouble for joining in a topic with no direct relation to miniature gaming?

Dan

Just don`t connect them to a communications system called Skynet.
Wait a minute, hasn`t the UK government already done that!

Intel services will need them. Spinoff tech will be for pizza delivery without violating noise ordnances.

Don't we call those cruise missiles?

Don't we call those cruise missiles?

Good point, but can Cruise Missiles loiter ?

And end up giving most people food poisoning!'

Dan

I wouldn't be surprised if we're already researching such autonomous AI technology.

Seems safer than controlling them by live feed, that can be hacked by the enemy.

Just plug in a data chip with the attack plan, and send it off, and it can return after the mission is completed.

I suspect we already have some operational drones with that capability. If not, we should, given the amount of hacking going on.

@Mako: I suggest you review the book/film "Fail Safe" for why complete reliance on a human-made system is a really bad idea.

Live feed gives you a way to call them back.

Just plug in a data chip with the attack plan, and send it off

That's called a cruise missile.

I just hope when the robots come to collect us all, they'll remember I always treated my computer like a friend.

Except that the drone can come back, and reload dumb bombs again, which are cheaper than PGMs.

I get what you are saying, Lion, but even humans aren't foolproof, as evidenced by the tragic German airliner crash.

I imagine we'll probably see a hybrid system, at least in the near future, where they have human control, but if the drone detects a hacking attempt, and/or loses contact with its pilot, it will return to base on its own. Of course, that assumes it can detect a hacking attempt/command over-ride.

Dave Majumdar is waaay behind the curve…

Don't all this stuff depend on satellites? Go for the weakest link?

Don't all this stuff depend on satellites?

Nope.

No such thing as autonomous systems.

Also, no such thing (in this line of discussion) as less susceptible to cyber warfare.

Yes

Yes. It is the wave of the future. You can bet the Russians and Chinese will have them.