[mandaladon]

This takes all the fun of flying a combat aircraft.

[Moonman62]

...the Navy said the X-47B would be piloted not by human handlers in some steel box in Nevada, but by 3.4 million lines of software code.

What could possibly go wrong?

[thackney]

Having a plane that is not limited by the pilot’s ability to withstand G-Forces in turns takes the fun out of fighting against such an aircraft as well.

[kbennkc]

REMF's revenge.

Terminator Mice.

[Michael Barnes]

On the obverse, we have millions of 14-17 year old's that can whoop another country's air force's ass.

/s

[ken5050]

Depending on the type of plane..fighter, bomber, I’ve read that as much as 25-30% of the plane is devoted to the pilot/crew..space, protection, life support systems...eliminate this, and you can substantially increase payload/distance..and of course, the danger tot he crew..

[ken5050]

If it can land on a carrier, in a storm, at night...have they worked out a plan for mid-air refueling?

[Little Ray]

How long before some script kiddie hacks it, I wonder?

[montyspython]

So now the Navy will have to relegate pilots to video game junkies, the X-47B will by controlled via the Sony PS3 game controller from mom’s basement.

[montyspython]

Kind of an eerie similarity to Ender’s Game.

[NonValueAdded]

All I have to say is “Manny, Moe, and Jack”

[Paleo Conservative]

Not to be confused with an XB-47.

If you want on or off this aerospace ping list, please contact Paleo Conservative or phantomworker by Freep mail.

[Redleg Duke]

The DNC has already registered each aircraft as a DemocRAT voter with the power of attorney to vote for it while it is deployed...which is any time the polls are open.

[FReepaholic]

...The Navy's X-47B Will Be So Autonomous, You Can Steer It With Mouse Clicks...

It's not autonomous if you steer it.

[TalonDJ]

The Navy's X-47B Will Be So Autonomous, You Can Steer It With Mouse Clicks

That is Automation, not Autonomy. You would think a reporter might know the meaning of words.

[org.whodat]

Cost is what 1 billion each, what a waste of money.

[Elsiejay]

I thought it required the “right stuff” to pilot such aircraft. When did it become “righteous stuff?”

[magslinger]

MIping

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[blueunicorn6]

Great. Hope you don’t have any retirement money in Whiskey companies. They’ll all go down the tubes. Computers don’t sit in the club waving their hands in the air to simulate some tricky maneuver saying, “And there he was on my six!”

[magslinger]

SONOBUOY PING!

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[USNBandit]

For flyboys proudly boasting their nighttime carrier landing cred, the idea is anathema.

Easy to say......for a loser that's never landed a plane on a boat before.

Where is the glory in that? No scary pitching decks, blood curdling power calls, comfort time (on the tanker), rewarding yourself with a slider at midrats. Might as well paint the boats blue and give them to the Air Force.

Of course the SPN-42 (soon to be replaced by the 46) always works, is never broken and would never try to drive you into the back of the ship. Auto landing is always works. (yeah, right)