Pentagon talks Loyal Wingman

a reply to: Zaphod58

1. Is this that neural net thing that they starting to talk about years ago that suddenly vanished?

2. or something else?

I thought this was obvious as to what they were planning in part for the f35. and hinted at a lot around ats.

a reply to: grey580

Something else.

a reply to: stratsys-sws

I thought that earlier. I was also wondering how this will tie into the Protector program.

a reply to: Zaphod58

ok cool.

did that neural net thing ever resurface?

a reply to: tadaman

Another advantage, you can use old airframes that wouldn't be suitable for manned use. Drones don't need to practice.
How many F-4's are in the desert?

a reply to: mbkennel

Davis-Monthan graveyard in Tuscon has over 4500 aircraft. Lets say you only get 2000 out of that......thats 2000 aircraft you just need to make into intermittent gliders with weapons pods.

Take 3 types of commercial engines from scrap yards you can swap into these for different sizes/, bomber, fighter and mid size support craft.....a dozen variable weapons pods you can swap onto these,

All the electronics and weapons guidance have based at home and have the data linked via satellite. One super computer linked from home could fly a whole squadron of different types of planes and guide the weapons.....all you need on the planes is sensors, communications equipment and thats it besides the basics like fuel, weapons and hydraulics /actuators.

EDIT TO ADD:

I always wondered this couldnt a wall of 1000 aircraft guided by computers accurately track and shoot down a dozen incoming misiles with nothing but guns?

I would say yes. You can have the wall of slow air craft using commercial engines just to stay air born simply glide into their target area getting shot at. Each missile reveals the position of the air defense and wastes one of its few shots. Even if shot at, a wall of 1000 networked aircraft could SHOOT the missile coming at them. If they miss, its 999 left to try harder.

a reply to: mbkennel

The last flyable F-4 is already gone. That's why they changed to QF-16s.

a reply to: Zaphod58

They have a cool web page for this with video and everything.


www.boeing.com...

a reply to: Forensick

I think you forgot how much training Pilots require. By stripping the pilot out the amount airframe hours will drop like a rock. Less flying equals less stress. I will not go so far as saying less MX but it will be a different kind of MX.

originally posted by: JIMC5499
With the F-35 being only a single seat aircraft, I have concerns about overloading the pilot.
I'd rather see this being done by something along the lines of an S-3 Viking with a three or four man crew.

I agree. At least a two seater with a pilot to take off, maneuver, and land, and a RIO to control the gaggle.

a reply to: pteridine

With the A and the C there's definitely enough space to stuff in a second seat where the lift fan would be.

a reply to: pteridine

There isn't going to be a major additional workload. The wingmen are going to be autonomous. The F-35 pilot will pick the targets for them, that's it. And they're going to be doing that outside any potential combat area. Depending on the mission, they can have targets programmed before takeoff.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: pteridine

There isn't going to be a major additional workload. The wingmen are going to be autonomous. The F-35 pilot will pick the targets for them, that's it. And they're going to be doing that outside any potential combat area. Depending on the mission, they can have targets programmed before takeoff.

So the pilot designates a target and forgets until the wingman reports back. It would make sense that the wingmen can be transferred between aircraft with a secondary pulse code. Whomever builds the brain has to make sure that the digital components are US made so no one can throw hidden switches in the processor during hostilities.

a reply to: pteridine

Yes. It's going to be completely autonomous, and fly in formation with the F-35 based on automatic signals between the aircraft on the datalink. Once the target is selected, the aircraft will determine the best attack route, and weapons to use, etc.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: pteridine

Yes. It's going to be completely autonomous, and fly in formation with the F-35 based on automatic signals between the aircraft on the datalink. Once the target is selected, the aircraft will determine the best attack route, and weapons to use, etc.

*coff* Of course, one could, should one desire, have ground based crew acting as a ghost backseater, since the wingmen will be flying themselves so to speak, in real time at the location. One could have a 'coach' assisting the wingmen for the pilot. If one wanted. Suggesting strategy, perhaps. *coff*

a reply to: Bedlam

Of course, which is already done with some aircraft.

Oh, damn, did I say that out loud? I always get my inside and outside voice confused.

AI is ever so much smarter if it's got a meat person feeding it the big picture.

Cool.....

Anyone remember the movie STEALTH ?

originally posted by: Donkey09
a reply to: stratsys-sws

I thought that earlier. I was also wondering how this will tie into the Protector program.

Protector is based on the MQ-9, with technology derived from Mantis mixed in. From an ISTAR point of view they are already integrated, it doesn't take too much of a leap to imagine a 'companion' :-) for f-35 being based on a MALE capability...the vast gap in performance may allow theatre commanders to play to the strengths of both capabilities as a whole.


Cheers
Robbie