Our Squadron is for all Marines who are or were part of Marine Air Command and Control. The name honors a small team of Marines who created an all weather bombing system in 1949 at Point Magu, California that evolved to become the Air Support Radar Team (ASRT). The equipment was sent to the Korean War as part of the 1st MAW, 1st MTACS. The radio call sign was Devastate Charlie. We are part of the Marine Corps Aviation Association. Click on the MCAA logo below for more information or to join. If you want to post stories or photos send them to craighullinger@gmail.com Semper Fi

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Drones and Air Control

The Navy successfully conducted take-offs and landings from a fairly new nuclear aircraft carrier, the USS George W. Bush, with a new stealth jet called the X-47B.
What is so different about this plane is the fact that it is a 'drone'.  Yes, it is completely unmanned.  Drones come in all sizes, and the X-47B is likely one of the larger ones.

What is so ironic about all of this is, the fact that the enemy cannot detect a plane like this in the first place.  In the unlikely event they get lucky at shooting one down, there will be no human loss of life or captivity.  
As you view the flight deck crew signaling the plane, they are simply signaling the on-board cameras, who in turn are being manned by staff inside the command intelligence center ( CIC ) onboard the ship.

Also check out the short distance this plane needs for a takeoff.  Impressive
indeed.
We have come a long way in Air Control.  It appears to me that eventually most combat and combat support missions will be flown by drones.


Click below for the video.

X-47B UCAS Aviation History Under Way - YouTube

Thanks to Colonel Byron Hill for submitting this.