Posted on Aug 18, 2015
Are the Drones of today the same as the Submarines of years past or the tank when it came out?
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Drones are a hot topic right now. They are redefining the way we view war and not just battles. We can send in a drone to perform a strike in some country we don't even know we are in and take out the bad guys or just watch while we have some pipe hitters clean up. Some of you might know of the U-2 that was shot down over Russia in 1960. Well we don't have any pilots to worry about anymore. I know Iraq got their hands on a drone but I doubt they will be able to really do anything with it.
Just like in the past Ironclads were thought of being the next big thing. Then submarines would forever change war in the waters. Tanks were thought to alter what we though of war. War always changes. The first to realize this has the upper hand. I think we are at the top on this one.
Is this the new edge in our arsenal that will keep us at the top?
Just like in the past Ironclads were thought of being the next big thing. Then submarines would forever change war in the waters. Tanks were thought to alter what we though of war. War always changes. The first to realize this has the upper hand. I think we are at the top on this one.
Is this the new edge in our arsenal that will keep us at the top?
Drones
Warfare
Edited >1 y ago
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Thus far they are not instrumental in winning, so I won't give drones the recognition the Panzers, Aircraft Carriers, P-51, and Amphibious Landings received for winning wars.
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Nothing "keeps us at the top" except constant weapons development to stay ahead of our real or potential enemies. Once we stop we lose our technological edge.
These drones are very neat to have today since we have a monopoly, but when they start to be used against us we had better have a defense ready - the bad guys ALWAYS close the gap; we are not the only smart people in the world.
These drones are very neat to have today since we have a monopoly, but when they start to be used against us we had better have a defense ready - the bad guys ALWAYS close the gap; we are not the only smart people in the world.
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CPT (Join to see)
You nailed it. We have to constantly keep developing our tech for war. I think the Russians wasted their money on a new main battle tank. It looks pretty but it isn't anything our Drones can't wipe off the battle field. We are pretty far ahead on this. I think even if someone tries to close the gap we will just widen it again as we always have.
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Capt Seid Waddell
CPT (Join to see), that is assuming that sequester doesn't stop our research and development work. We count on Russia to get into space these days; we have already lost that edge due to political decisions.
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CPT (Join to see)
Capt Seid Waddell - We just need to cut some of the BS programs. Sometimes the military will fund some programs that really don't have a need. It is usually a buddy in congress gets a hook up. Look how we handled the ACUs in the army. We wasted a lot of money on that and we still are.
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Capt Seid Waddell
CPT (Join to see), wisdom comes into deciding which new technologies are breakthrough advances and which are BS programs. Those making the decisions frequently lack the technical competence to make accurate ones.
I do agree with you on ACUs though; the R&D that is needed is in weapons systems, sensor systems, and combat control/SA - which give us a real advantage in war time.
The guided munitions and night vision we worked on at Eglin in the '60s paid real dividends in the war and have been improved greatly since then. We need to keep that sort of research going if we are to maintain military superiority.
I do agree with you on ACUs though; the R&D that is needed is in weapons systems, sensor systems, and combat control/SA - which give us a real advantage in war time.
The guided munitions and night vision we worked on at Eglin in the '60s paid real dividends in the war and have been improved greatly since then. We need to keep that sort of research going if we are to maintain military superiority.
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Yes.
The problem is that it isn't an edge that will last all that long. Technology advances so rapidly and is replicated so easily (relatively) these days that although the first there enjoys some reprieve at the top, it also costs them (us) significantly more than the second group to find the same technology (copy).
I predict that other countries will have very capable drones in the near future.
The problem is that it isn't an edge that will last all that long. Technology advances so rapidly and is replicated so easily (relatively) these days that although the first there enjoys some reprieve at the top, it also costs them (us) significantly more than the second group to find the same technology (copy).
I predict that other countries will have very capable drones in the near future.
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CPT (Join to see)
I think we technology will keep up at the top on this. We made the drone game. Even if other countries make their drones they will be ages behind us. What is unique for us is that we keep adapting to new missions. Our drones can just so many different things. We have the largest fleet of drones so far. As soon as someone makes a drone that can much us we will just make a drone hunter drone that will take it out of the sky. So far very few countries can never counter drones. It will keep us the top until we figure out how to make machine soldiers like in the movies.
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LCDR (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see) I agree. I just also see it as an extension of the arms race we never truly left ;)
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CPT (Join to see)
LCDR (Join to see) - Indeed. I think the effort will be drones that can walk and augment soldiers on the ground. Like a EVAC drone that can recover wounded or draw fire as to locate a sniper. It is only a matter of time.
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LCDR (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see) about to post this article in a different discussion but very relevant to what you're talking about.
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