Message posted by lopbacktest4echo on March 29, 2007 at 8:08:56 PST:
I worked for a company that began hiring computer game testers back around 2002 to help build a system for remotely piloting UAV's. The testers were there to help make the remote system interface look, feel, and function like a computer game. I believe the unofficial nickname for the project was Enders Game. The senario I saw was that a trained AF pilot would be in remote location or in a flying tactical command post and he would be remotely monitoring/flying one or more UAV at the same time in another part of the globe. The UAV's were strictly attack aircraft and the idea was that one skilled pilot could fly several fighters simultaniously. This concept was a force multiplier for pilots and would rule out losing pilots in combat. In addition in this senario the aircraft they were directing were capable of extremely high G flight manuvers. I don't know if this fighter platform actually exsisted or was a planned future fighter. It was not called a UAV. It was cool to think that a pilot could sit down and take over some of these UAV's anywhere in the world at anytime and run them through a mission and when the mission ended switch over and pilot UAV's in a different mission in another part of the world. What I thought was really exciting is the idea that these remote pilots could take over aircraft being flown by injured or disabled crew. This goes back to 2002 so my guess is that at that time it was a concept. I know nothing about that program since 2002 forward. I do think that the idea that we will no longer need trained pilots is the opposite of what will happen. We will constantly need highly trained pilots who can push the performance envelope.
In Reply to: SR 71 replacement? posted by Alex (UK) on March 27, 2007 at 12:21:30 PST:
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