Boeing Australia develop fighter-sized drone

Gamers can also use this forum to chat about any game related subject, news, rumours etc.

Moderator: maddog986

Post Reply
User avatar
Neilster
Posts: 2879
Joined: Mon Oct 27, 2003 1:52 pm
Location: Devonport, Tasmania, Australia

Boeing Australia develop fighter-sized drone

Post by Neilster »

Boeing Australia, in conjunction with the Australian Department of Defence, have secretly developed a jet-powered drone. At nearly 12 metres in length, it's the size of a small fighter. It's supposedly mainly for electronic warfare/reconnaissance but it has a large internal weapons bay so expect other capabilities/variants. Also, this kind of "AI wingman" vehicle concept is becoming more popular. For example, it could provide protection for larger, more vulnerable assets or fly in formation with fighters.

Boeing says Australia has very large areas where things can be tested "on the quiet". Its long range makes it suitable for Australian conditions too. It displays the standard low observables features such as the chiselled chin, canted fins, lack of 90 degree junctions and serpentine intakes. We can assume radar absorbing materials in key places. The engine is unknown but I'd be unsurprised if they went with a single Super Hornet donk, partly for commonality. Development must be quite advanced because they unveiled a mock-up on Wednesday and they're planning on building the first one next year. Apparently, the Australian government is keen to export them.

Cheers, Neilster

Image

Image
Attachments
combatdronesdata.jpg
combatdronesdata.jpg (123.24 KiB) Viewed 222 times
108511281..940x529.jpg
108511281..940x529.jpg (123.85 KiB) Viewed 222 times
Cheers, Neilster
ringoblood
Posts: 438
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2018 8:05 am
Location: USA

RE: Boeing Australia develop fighter-sized drone

Post by ringoblood »

One big ass drone[:-]
Beta Tester:
1. The Bloody First
2. Warplan
User avatar
Neilster
Posts: 2879
Joined: Mon Oct 27, 2003 1:52 pm
Location: Devonport, Tasmania, Australia

RE: Boeing Australia develop fighter-sized drone

Post by Neilster »

ORIGINAL: ringoblood

One big ass drone[:-]
I think the term "drone", which is how the media are describing it, is misplaced here. This is clearly an unmanned aircraft.

Cheers, Neilster
Cheers, Neilster
User avatar
Lobster
Posts: 5300
Joined: Thu Aug 08, 2013 2:12 pm
Location: Third rock from the Sun.

RE: Boeing Australia develop fighter-sized drone

Post by Lobster »

ORIGINAL: Neilster

ORIGINAL: ringoblood

One big ass drone[:-]
I think the term "drone", which is how the media are describing it, is misplaced here. This is clearly an unmanned aircraft.

Cheers, Neilster

A drone is a remote controlled pilotless aircraft or missile. Size does not matter.
http://www.operationbarbarossa.net/

Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity and I’m not sure about the universe-Einstein

Q: What do you call a boomerang that doesn’t come back?
A: A stick.
User avatar
Neilster
Posts: 2879
Joined: Mon Oct 27, 2003 1:52 pm
Location: Devonport, Tasmania, Australia

RE: Boeing Australia develop fighter-sized drone

Post by Neilster »

Fair enough, although in common parlance I'd say it usually refers to something much smaller and remote controlled, and that this would best be described as an UAV.

Cheers, Neilster
Cheers, Neilster
User avatar
zakblood
Posts: 22722
Joined: Thu Oct 04, 2012 11:19 am

RE: Boeing Australia develop fighter-sized drone

Post by zakblood »

take out the pilot, the plane can be smaller, faster, turn quicker

and cheaper now
Windows 11 Pro 64-bit (10.0, Build 22621) (22621.ni_release.220506-1250)
User avatar
Neilster
Posts: 2879
Joined: Mon Oct 27, 2003 1:52 pm
Location: Devonport, Tasmania, Australia

RE: Boeing Australia develop fighter-sized drone

Post by Neilster »

ORIGINAL: zakblood

take out the pilot, the plane can be smaller, faster, turn quicker

and cheaper now
Yep. As a former aircraft technician on fighters, it's incredible how much mass and complication is involved in keeping the crew in conditions comfortable for humans. Considering it can be 50C on the ground and -50C at altitude, air conditioning alone is complex. Then there're ejection seats, (which these days are incredibly high-tech), oxygen systems, pressurisation etc.

Anyone remember the Rockwell HiMAT? NASA learnt a lot from that program.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockwell_HiMAT


Image
Attachments
RockwellHiMAT1.jpg
RockwellHiMAT1.jpg (100.34 KiB) Viewed 222 times
Cheers, Neilster
User avatar
redcoat
Posts: 1034
Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2005 9:48 am
Location: UK

RE: Boeing Australia develop fighter-sized drone

Post by redcoat »

ORIGINAL: Neilster
Boeing says Australia has very large areas where things can be tested "on the quiet".

The UK tests its unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) in Australia for the same reasons. I imagine that this one will be tested at the same facility - the RAAF Woomera Range Complex in South Australia.
“‘Who controls the past,’ ran the Party slogan, ‘controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.’”

George Orwell, 1984
User avatar
Neilster
Posts: 2879
Joined: Mon Oct 27, 2003 1:52 pm
Location: Devonport, Tasmania, Australia

RE: Boeing Australia develop fighter-sized drone

Post by Neilster »

Woomera is an interesting place. The facilities have recently been upgraded and apparently at 122,188 square kilometres (47,177 sq mi...about the same area as England), the WPA (Woomera Prohibited Area) is the largest land-based test range in the western world.

Australia became the third nation to launch an orbital rocket from its own territory from Woomera in 1967.

It's a real Cold War kind of place, with a township plonked in the desert.

Here's an cool old TV program from 1988 about Woomera...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFPWlFD7utc&t=2670s

Edit: I changed the video URL to a longer version

Cheers, Neilster
Cheers, Neilster
ringoblood
Posts: 438
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2018 8:05 am
Location: USA

RE: Boeing Australia develop fighter-sized drone

Post by ringoblood »

I love the Cold War, it may have been a time of constant fear of human extinction but we made so many technicality advances its not even funny.
Beta Tester:
1. The Bloody First
2. Warplan
User avatar
Orm
Posts: 27767
Joined: Sat May 03, 2008 7:53 pm
Location: Sweden

RE: Boeing Australia develop fighter-sized drone

Post by Orm »

Thank you, Neilster, for sharing.
Have a bit more patience with newbies. Of course some of them act dumb -- they're often students, for heaven's sake. - Terry Pratchett
Pvt_Grunt
Posts: 329
Joined: Tue Feb 13, 2007 10:21 am
Location: Frankston Victoria

RE: Boeing Australia develop fighter-sized drone

Post by Pvt_Grunt »

ORIGINAL: Lobster

Size does not matter.


Image
Attachments
25479610.jpg
25479610.jpg (75.01 KiB) Viewed 228 times
ringoblood
Posts: 438
Joined: Sat Mar 10, 2018 8:05 am
Location: USA

RE: Boeing Australia develop fighter-sized drone

Post by ringoblood »

ORIGINAL: Pvt_Grunt

ORIGINAL: Lobster

Size does not matter.


Image
LOL[:D]
Beta Tester:
1. The Bloody First
2. Warplan
User avatar
redcoat
Posts: 1034
Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2005 9:48 am
Location: UK

RE: Boeing Australia develop fighter-sized drone

Post by redcoat »


The (U.S.) Air Force Research Laboratory and Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems have been developing a drone similar to the Boeing Australia project. The XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrator has now completed its inaugural flight at the Yuma Proving Grounds, Arizona.

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/26825/air-forces-secretive-xq-58a-valkyrie-experimental-combat-drone-emerges-after-first-flight

The War Zone section of the Drive website is quite good at covering defence news:

http://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone
“‘Who controls the past,’ ran the Party slogan, ‘controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.’”

George Orwell, 1984
Post Reply

Return to “General Discussion”