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X-45 Makes Debut Flight
jonerik writes "The Associated Press (by way of MSNBC) reports the debut flight on Wednesday of Boeing's X-45A, the first unmanned aircraft designed from the start to carry weapons. According to the article, the X-45 - one of two being tested - flew for 14 minutes and will be able to carry 3,000 pounds of guided bombs. If eventually purchased by the Pentagon, expect to see it in service sometime between 2007 and 2010. The plane's relatively cheap cost ($10-15 million per aircraft), ease of maintenance, and lack of an onboard pilot will likely make it a staple of future U.S. war plans."
The American people have become increasingly intolerant to casualties of war.
I currently work with and for the DoD, and this specific fact is always resident in the field commanders mind. Risk avoidance, "force protection", and unmanned vehicles of all sorts assist that commander in protecting his/her forces while still being able to accomplish the mission at hand. Don't ever underestimate the U.S. Armed Forces awareness of the American public. Yes there will still be casualties, but if this style of technology can protect lives, how can it be a band thing?
The technoglogy at use here has already proven itself in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosova, Isreal, and a myriad of other less known conflicts. I for one love the idea and the concept of being able to best your enemy on the field, while getting as many of my countrymen home as possible.
...the beginning of the end.
Human nature's make them destroy themselves.
I can imagine "intelligent aliens" or "god", if they exist, looking at us and saying to themselves:
"foolish humans, they think they are so great but dont realise that the world would be far better if they never saw the light".