Recap

War Technology

NewsMax columnist Charles R. Smith (softwar.net) offered his analysis of various geopolitical conflicts and discussed the latest technology in military unmanned vehicles. These unmanned craft are one indication that we are entering a "new kind of war," he said, where precision instruments and information technology have replaced the old "industrial style" of battle.

One craft he described is code named Senior Prom and is a stealth reconnaissance drone that can take photographs and monitor communications. Others like the Hunter are being tested with precision guided weapons. Pilotless vehicles offer a number of advantages in wartime situations, such as the ability to fly for prolonged periods and to successfully navigate during adverse conditions such as storms or an attack, he detailed.

Yet, ultimately Smith does not foresee unmanned vehicles replacing human pilots. The best combination would be an integrated use of both manned and unmanned vehicles, he said. There are many situations where a live pilot is more useful than a drone, such as in finding a mobile ballistic system, he noted. Smith also touted "information warfare programs" such as Big Safari which potentially could takeover an enemies' weapons system.

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Unmanned Craft

In a recent NewsMax column, Charles R. Smith writes about how the military is increasingly turning to "unmanned armed robot planes," for use on the battlefield. Pictured is Northrop-Grumman's X-47A Pegasus, an experimental UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle) first unveiled in 2001. For more images of such craft, check out this page from strange-mecha.com.



Listener Submission:
'Air Vehicle #1' (from the film Stealth)