Boeing, BAE Systems Show Off New Unmanned Planes

gilgsn writes The hydrogen-powered Phantom Eye unmanned airborne system, a demonstrator that will stay aloft at 65,000 feet for up to four days, was unveiled by Boeing today. 'Phantom Eye is powered by two 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engines that provide 150 horsepower each. It has a 150-foot wingspan, will cruise at approximately 150 knots and can carry up to a 450-pound payload.' Across the pond, BAE Systems showed off Taranis, a UAV that will test the possibility of developing the first ever autonomous, stealth Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle that would ultimately be capable of precisely striking targets at long range — even in another continent."

Comments

Re:UAV ? ICBM

[Red Flayer]

TNT wouldn't have to weigh tons to do tons of damage if we measure damage in terms of, say, tons of coke + mentos.

The C+M standard unit for explosive power is incomplete. One cannot express explosive power of coke and mentos without knowing the volume and pressure limits of the bomb container.

Let me instead suggest two alternatives (I prefer the first option, as the second one is just crass, I wouldn't normally make a comment like that to someone I respect -- but I include it in the pure interest of completeness):

1. Quantity of [one ton of (optimal coke + Mentos mixture) in a 2000L container that ruptures exactly at the point when the coke-Mentos reaction is complete, thus at maximum pressure]. We could call this tons of CM2KL.

2. My dicks in your momma's ass. As in, that nuclear warhead has the explosive power of 4.0 x 10^29 MDIYMA.