Forum: Air Force Life

Don't worry. If you come in trying to fly pointy-noses, they'll put you in UAVs anyway. Even if you do make it to pointy-noses, they'll non-vol you to UAVs. Laughing

Plus, you don't have to worry about snot in the mask with a UAV. All you have to worry about is R2-D2 not augering the bird in when you get up from the desk to take a wizz and make a cup of coffee. Wink

UAVs: They aren't your Daddy's Viper, but they ARE the wave of the future.

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Forum Veteran Joined: Jul 01, 2007 - 07:22 PM Posts: 620

TC, you're bumming me out man.

Newbie Joined: Mar 23, 2009 - 10:22 PM Posts: 16

Check out the AF's UAV master plan for the years 2009 - 2047 at globalsecutity.org .... TC knows from whence he speaks Salute

SnakeHandler wrote:

TC, you're bumming me out man.

Yeah, it bums me out too Snake, but it does look like it will get worse before it gets better (*COUGH* General Schwartz).

I am just glad that we here in Denmark are nowhere near UAV and UCAV capabilty.. Gives me a chance to fulfill my dream before it's too late.

Sad for those who will look at the sky each day, with no chance to ever come near it.

I hear you guys, I see the UAV gaining more and more strike missions with Recon capability to boot.

You have to admit, there is not much left of an enemy Air Force to Dog Fight with in the world and if you can kill the bad guy with a "remote" and save a US Pilot, I can see the logic and cost savings in it.

Mind you, not all missions should be flown with this in mind but I do see them increasing mission capability and flexibility for theather Commanders with cost savings and equipment concerns over the long haul. The truth hurts for many in green suits, I think "times are a changing" for us all.

Maybe not such a bad thing depending on the mission and location, I try to stay open minded these days (not like we have a choice anyway) huh.

That is definitely one advantage UCAVs have...to be able to do the same job, and not put one of our pilots in danger.

Yep and save them for....?????? Deep Strike Missions, do they even exist anymore Smile

What they ought to try with UCAV's is mount a few high resolution cameras which beam back real-time 360 degree imagery, and have the operator fly the aircraft from a virtual "cockpit." It'll be like flying a high-quality simulator; there are no real G-limits and you can get shot down and still fly again.

mil_hobbyist wrote:

mount a few high resolution cameras which beam back real-time 360 degree imagery...

They're way ahead of you on that on Hoss, but I like where your cranium is. Cool

Folks, this one started as a thread about flying with a health issue. Of course, since you have a very good chance of going UAVs these days, the talk quickly turned into UAV ops. I've decided to make this one its own thread, because this is what you can come to expect in the coming years.

I pretty much look at it as a way for me to extend my career. I am at 18 years time in service and with the very real possibility of many Guard units closing before I am ready to leave, I could always become a sensor operator. Plus it's not very often enlisted guys get to drop bombs and make bad people go away.

TC

Just curious.. with your firsthand observations and insights are you suggesting possibly massive F-35A procurement reductions over the next 15 yrs now, supplanted w/ highly accelerated UAV buys (e.g., well beyond the already proposed 2015 Reaper goal)?

geogen wrote:

are you suggesting possibly massive F-35A procurement reductions over the next 15 yrs...

No, I think YOU just suggested that. The shift towards UAV ops is what the higher ups continuously brief us on. More UAVs will happen. It is reality.

TC, thanks for your service and reply to my comment. I fully accept and can only deduce that more and more UAV shifts will take place well beyond forinstance publicly noted USAF Reaper goals just for 2015 (at only a few $billion in procurement). And I actually agree with (and have been advocating since 2001) this joint-service supplemental shift, as rapidly as possible, as a very cost-effective means of force-protection and projection.

Sorry for the poorly worded attempt to get a debate on the specific issue of likely increased UAV budgets and procurement at the cost of something within future USAF budgets?? After re-reading it, my comment did sound a bit provocative and disrespectful.

Forum: Air Force Life

Increased UCAV Ops Tempo