UAVs, not just an Air Force gig anymore

[MIDNJAC]

FWIW there is a global hawk on the ramp @ Miramar for the airshow that has "Navy" written on the side. Took me 2 days of standing right next to it (where our jet is) to notice who's it was. Also noticed a lot of little kids hitting the wings and making them flap......hopefully if enough of them do it this weekend, they will fall off

Edit: found out today that it was a wooden mock-up, so I guess we are safe for now

Also chatted with one of the pilots of the Reaper this afternoon. Pretty cool guy, had transitioned over from the Hog community, had lots of good info to share about them.

 

[RotorHead04]

Whoever was operating that ball on the Firescout go-fast takedwon needs some work....

Agree ... pretty choppy sweeps. Admittedly, if Firescout's AVT lock is at all like the MH-60S, I completely understand why the operator couldn't get it to track. More often than not, the lock would grab the GFV's wake vice the hull, regardless of the track mode. Something about a low profile constantly changing it's aspect to the camera perhaps ...

 

[Gatordev]

Agree ... pretty choppy sweeps. Admittedly, if Firescout's AVT lock is at all like the MH-60S, I completely understand why the operator couldn't get it to track. More often than not, the lock would grab the GFV's wake vice the hull, regardless of the track mode. Something about a low profile constantly changing it's aspect to the camera perhaps ...

That's why there's a RATE function on the FLIR... An underused but very useful function.

Apparently the AVT code that was put in the Sierra's system was the legacy code, which isn't compatible w/ the video of the Sierra's FLIR. Or so says a guy here who was a Sierra guy and worked up at Pax.

 

[SynixMan]

Well, SkyNet has landed at KNGP. CBP has a Predator now. Saw him a couple days ago, but didn't have time to bust out the camera. I wonder if this is the eventual replacement for the P-3s they have?

 

[scoolbubba]

Nah, it's been down there a while. It was there summer of 08 when I was in advanced.

 

[Gatordev]

Yeah, UAV's have been flying the "Customs" portion of CBP for a while now...and not always in our airspace.

 

[yak52driver]

Just saw this article about UAV's that are in the works.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-drone-warfare-20110111,0,4325330.story

 

[yak52driver]

X-47B had it's first flight.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...r_unmanned_x47b_is_militarys_deadliest_n.html

 

[bert]

Obviously, other XP's have been involved in UAS programs, but apparently this guy is the first to get a "drone" billet at a TPS.

 

[Flying Toaster]

Obviously, other XP's have been involved in UAS programs, but apparently this guy is the first to get a "drone" billet at a TPS.

He sounds thrilled about it to-

"Flying at 9 Gs is a lot more fun than sitting in a locked room, I'll tell you that," said Helms, 29. "I never expected to be flying anything other than an F-16. But now I'm here."

Another good one from the TPS Col.-

"This service is no longer a service about who has a white scarf around their neck. I think we're evolving away from that."

 

[that mike guy]

I'd bet that this link or one like it has been posted before (and the fact many people on here know this from their job), but TBH I didn't read the whole thread because it is extremely long. The part I'm referring to says "[steam catapult systems result] in minimum and maximum weight limits. The minimum weight limit is above the weight of all UAVs."

Good news for us guys who are just starting or are currently in the pipeline, as I think the first carrier with the EMALS isn't scheduled to hit the fleet until 2015.

 

[phrogdriver]

He sounds thrilled about it to-



Another good one from the TPS Col.-

As gay as a white scarf is, they finally found something more gay....calling UAV operators,"pilots."

 

[ryan1234]

As gay as a white scarf is, they finally found something more gay....calling UAV operators,"pilots."

The AF drops right now are anywhere between no UAVs and 1 or 2. There are a few guys that actually request them/aren't disappointed.

 

[yak52driver]

Just saw this from Aviation Week:
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/gene...line=K-MAX Makes First Flights In Afghanistan

Interesting technology, but I would think hovering with a load is a big challenge when you are in the helicopter let alone doing it remotely.

 

[robav8r]

It's funny how things come around . . . . first we had DASH, then LAMPS MK I, followed by LAMPS MK III, and now back to DASH Improved (Fire Scout). Heard the MK-44 Torpedo was pretty good against diesel boats in shallow water . . . . .