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A dumb question, and a stupid suggestion.

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  • A dumb question, and a stupid suggestion.

    Dumb question:
    Why is US hiring private military companies like blackwater? I can understand civilian contractors for construction, rations, etc, but an armed contractor seem pricey, and less effective

    Stupid Suggestion:
    Since the stealthy payload for the F-35 is fairly limited, especially for an air to air role, why not have say a stealthy drone missile truck tag along?
    I.e. modify the X-47/X-45 to carry a payload of 6 AMRAAMs, fly it autonomously behind (maybe 5km away) a squadron and unleash it's load using sensor data from F-35s on the command of the pilots.

    This should be able to bypass the moral issue with AI decision to kill since there is none, and the current technology should allow this to be implemented without much trouble.

  • #2
    ^Fantastic ideas.

    Xe and their ilk are there to distance the U.S. from many covert ops and because they are the best at VIP protection.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by cr9527 View Post
      Dumb question:
      Why is US hiring private military companies like blackwater? I can understand civilian contractors for construction, rations, etc, but an armed contractor seem pricey, and less effective
      Soldiers fight wars. They aren't the best body guards. Their trainings are completely different.

      Originally posted by cr9527 View Post
      Stupid Suggestion:
      Since the stealthy payload for the F-35 is fairly limited, especially for an air to air role, why not have say a stealthy drone missile truck tag along?
      I.e. modify the X-47/X-45 to carry a payload of 6 AMRAAMs, fly it autonomously behind (maybe 5km away) a squadron and unleash it's load using sensor data from F-35s on the command of the pilots.

      This should be able to bypass the moral issue with AI decision to kill since there is none, and the current technology should allow this to be implemented without much trouble.
      Why not just fly another F-35 along with the first F-35?
      "Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by gunnut View Post
        Soldiers fight wars. They aren't the best body guards. Their trainings are completely different.
        1974, was attached to a Brigadier as his body gaurd for an upcoming visit to troops in a particularly nasty area............. when asked by the Brig, "If we get shot at or ambushed , will you be in front of me Corperal?"....My response was, " only if you can keep up Sir"........Funnily enough I was returned to my unit and normal ops
        sigpicFEAR NAUGHT

        Should raw analytical data ever be passed to policy makers?

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        • #5
          Why not just fly another F-35 along with the first F-35?

          Less $$$ and one less pilot in harm's way
          sigpic"If your plan is for one year, plant rice. If your plan is for ten years, plant trees.
          If your plan is for one hundred years, educate children."

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          • #6
            Originally posted by USSWisconsin View Post
            Why not just fly another F-35 along with the first F-35?

            Less $$$ and one less pilot in harm's way
            So we save some money by spending a whole lot more on a completely different air frame and support structure to fly it unmanned. This plane would serve no purpose other than carry ordinance. There would be no eyes in this plane; no decision making ability; a complicated datalink that might be disrupted or interfered with...etc.
            "Only Nixon can go to China." -- Old Vulcan proverb.

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            • #7
              by T_igger_cs_30
              ...My response was, " only if you can keep up Sir"...
              :roflmao:

              After a grenade drill incident the Captain said to me, "You were a bit slow there, Sergeant". "Well, I did beat you, Sir!", I replied back. Then he pointed out to me that I had dirt on my uniform. Not a spot on him of course, because he'd landed right on top of me.
              Reddite igitur quae sunt Caesaris Caesari et quae sunt Dei Deo
              (Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things which are God's)

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              • #8
                thanks for the info. I understand now about the contractors.

                About the F-35 suggestion, You wouldn't really need a new airframe, there is plenty of UCAV models to pick from, the data link might be a problem, but look at the ah-6x program. The Apaches will soon be implementing the ability to utilize the sensors of the ah-6x drones to target hellfires in block 3 upgrade. Is it that much different?

                I can however see your point. A drone with only 6 missiles wouldn't improve the capability much more than another F-35 (at all).

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by cr9527 View Post
                  Dumb question:
                  Why is US hiring private military companies like blackwater? I can understand civilian contractors for construction, rations, etc, but an armed contractor seem pricey, and less effective
                  Contractors can be hired for short periods and then fired when the need goes away, they are costly for the period that they are employed, but over the long term they can be cheaper. To get the same number of active duty personnel to fill a deployed security role, you actually need about three times the number of military personnel (one set on station, one set training and getting ready to deploy, one set who's just returned and are reconstituting their strength.) The US Gov't doesn't pay contractors who are in training or on leave (that's covered by the contracting company's overhead.) The USGov doesn't pay for recruiting or retirement, all costs that must be factored in when using active duty folks.

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