Usually, when someone mentions military drones, we think of something much smaller and less intimidating than this monster. This is an Airforce Phantom II, retrofitted to be a computer controlled killing machine. Able to carry 18,000 pounds of stuff that goes boom, a single computer can control up to 6 of these in formation.
Sounds scary doesn’t it? Actually, though these are capable of being offensive, they are mainly used for target practice. These are decommissioned units that have been fixed up and modified to be radio controlled.
[via BotJunkie]
This is not new. I worked on QF4’s in the 70’s at the Naval Missile Center at Point Mugu, CA.
Mainly used for target practice? Sounds like G1 Cartoon Seekers :P
All they need is a f-15 or f-22 G1 colors and that be pimp.
I’ve seen these things. They’re out at China Lake Naval Weapons Station in Ridgecrest, CA. They do the flights and shoot downs at the range. It’s crazy stuff to watch. THere’s a good video out there of a f4 being shot down at the range with an AIM-9X on youtube. My dad used to work on the test-kits for these missles.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3h1YV6Wz4U
Thats an expensive target!!
Sounds like they would make GOOD cruise missile equivalents. Just a little more bulky to transport.
I’d just rather some ‘Skynet’ knockoff doesn’t get their paws on ’em.
BTW, are they expensive given that we are otherwise just paying to store them? This will allow a ‘final use’ and remove them from storage and that expense, plus we don’t need to buy yet another drone for the same purpose. To bad that playing ‘e-games’ doesn’t do the same for they real flight crews, but it doesn’t. Until we can replace the experience of really shooting something out of the sky, I guess we need ‘real drones’ to take their place.
kyle: not really, it’s more recycling. we would otherwise be paying to put them into mothballs (longterm storage) or recycling them (expensive, because of the classified nature of some of the hardware). so really you’re just re-using them for a purpose that you’d need to buy something for anyhow.
And for the obvious follow-up question: what frequencies are they using for flight control ? Any guesses on the protocol ? ;)
Target practice? So does this mean these are essentially big expensive toys now? I’m not saying that’s a problem, I’m just saying…we could maybe use them to patrol somewhere.
@dave: Them being remotely controlled by a computer is… facepalm.jpg
For those who don’t get it…
“These are decommissioned units that have been fixed up and modified to be radio controlled.”
These are still potent military weapons that can’t simply be gotten rid of. I mean for crying out loud it’ll do mach 2.2 and carry over 8 tons of ordinance. So why not hit them with some missiles?
I would also like to point out that we have an absolute ass load of old F4’s laying around in the bone yard. And as far as target practice, its not really for the pilots as much as it is about test our new or perhaps even old missiles. Real combat is a bad time to find your brand new $100,000 Pidgin Buster 9000 heat/radar/radiation/gravity signature seeking missile is a piece of garbage. (to my knowledge know such missile exists)…
my step dad has been replaced. I wonder what he’d think if his f4 was part of this.
what a waste. then again military blows millions like its chump change
btw the 9 tonnes of explosives are fore the det pack, the failsafe self destruct. just incase anything goes haywire.
Actually, most QF-x drones are reused many times. Deliberate misses, inert missile warheads, things like that…
@Zombie
All of the jets being used in these test are vietnam era aircraft that are well beyond their useful life limits (not economical to maintain), but I am sure you will continue to talk out of your ass about things you know nothing about.