Tuesday, August 12, 2008
From now on, air strike is a video game
The Rise Of The Droids
The U.S. Air Force is, for the first time, converting a fighter wing from manned (F-16) combat aircraft, to unmanned ones (the MQ-9 Reaper.) The conversion, for the 174th Fighter Wing, has been in the works for three years, and the last combat sorties in manned aircraft were flown last week, by members of the 174th serving in Iraq.
Reapers have only been in combat for a year, but for the troops on the ground, and many of those operating these UAVs, the future has arrived. While the pilots of the 174th Fighter Wing will miss flying jets, as National Guard reservists, they can now do their active duty without leaving their families, and go live in a trailer over in Ir aq or Afghanistan.
$1000B question is will they attack Russian troops in Georgia soon?
And to be used in any potential future conflicts.
UK MoD thinks so too.
THIS LINK posted by Joseph Bell : 9:51 AM
