UAV’s are big, but they’re not jet big — something the Navy’s trying to correct with its X-47B, which aims to replace traditional fighters. Y’know, the ones with humans in them. Watch the drone killer stretch its wings a little.
This isn’t the 18.8m wide X-47B’s first time in the air. Rather, it’s the first time it’s been able to pull up its landing gear and go into full “cruise mode” — an important step that gives the craft a chance to flex all of its sophisticated on-board navigational and sensor equipment. It’s still experimental right now, but if and when it’s ever deployed for real, it’ll be able to pack 2041kg of weaponry, refuel in the air, and land at sea.
That’s a lot of killing power in a robot — and all guided by someone far away.
Steve
Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 3:25 PMWasn’t this the plot to Stealth?
Will
Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 3:59 PMKinda except that was a super sonic jet something like mach 3 that was supposed to reach. I’m not sure of the max speed of this.
RB
Monday, October 31, 2011 at 5:23 PMPlus that plane was piloted by ‘super advanced AI’… These are still flown by squishy humans sitting thousands of km’s away :)
Ozoneocean
Saturday, October 29, 2011 at 8:03 PMNOT “the navy”, it’s the “U.S. Navy”.
Needs to be edited for the Australian Gizmodo site.