Lockheed Martin Has An Impressive New Drone Concept

[xchrom]

http://www.businessinsider.com/the-navys-uclass-drone-lockheed-martin-skunkworks-video-2013-4

Already obsessed with drones, the U.S. military is looking for new ones to fill a vital role.

America needs drones to guard its aging fleet in foreign waters, extend a ship's strike distance using standard aircraft carrier ordnance, and do all of it based from the carrier itself. That will allow flight deck operations 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week with no pilots at risk, and no huge jets to re-fuel.

It's a tall order that demands an array of technology that just barely exists and is scattered among various vehicles. Some drones are great at surveillance, some at blowing stuff up, and some at water-based landings, but one that will do all three is yet just a dream.

When the military wants its dreams made real it often goes to the place with a history of doing just that, Lockheed Martin's Skunkworks. The California-plant has been knocking out super-advanced military tech for decades, and it is one of four facilities in the race to produce this new drone.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-navys-uclass-drone-lockheed-martin-skunkworks-video-2013-4#ixzz2Q4AGsIz7


***let me fix the title: lockheed martin has a new way to collect lots of tax payer dollars.

[n2doc]

1. Mo Money! Mo Money! Mo Money!

They know that the higher the per piece price, the bigger the profit!

[TimberValley]

2. The future of air warfare probably belongs to whichever side can get more advanced UAVs airborne

As many have mentioned, drones can potentially withstand far more centrifugal force than human pilots can.

[cliffordu]

3. And then there are these things...

http://www.businessinsider.com/bi-drone-swarm-2012-2#comments

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Title fix noted.

Just think of the poor arms merchants, in these days of austerity...why, they can barely keep up with supplying all the
war and strife needs.