General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsArmy Wants Tiny Suicidal Drone to Kill From 6 Miles Away
Killer drones just keep getting smaller. The Army wants to know how prepared its defense-industry partners are to build what it calls a Lethal Miniature Aerial Munition System. Its for when the Army needs someone dead from up to six miles away in 30 minutes or less.
How small will the new mini-drone be? The Armys less concerned about size than it is about the drones weight, according to a recent pre-solicitation for businesses potentially interested in building the thing. The whole system drone, warhead and launch device has to weigh under five pounds. An operator should be able to carry the future Lethal Miniature Aerial Munition System, already given the acronym LMAMS in a backpack and be able to set it up to fly within two minutes.
The envisioned LMAMS, a loitering precision guided munition is designed for quick missions to take out specific targets, and the Armys had its eye on something like it for years. Its small size means it cant carry a lot of fuel. As first reported by (subscription only) InsideDefense, the Army needs it to stay aloft for a half hour at most. But during that half hour, the Army expects it to fly up to six miles to smash into a target, either directed by a human controller or pre-programmed through GPS. Whether it speeds to a target fairly distant from where an Army unit is set up or loiters over one until it gets a clear shot, its another step toward making drone strikes inconspicuous.
The Army wants it ready for use by 2016 at the latest. But it may not take that long since the Armys already got something similar to LMAMS.
MORE...
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/09/suicidal-drone-6-miles-away/
Ezlivin
(8,153 posts)that are completely under their control.
I swear that if I didn't know that "Terminator" and "SkyNet" were fiction....
quinnox
(20,600 posts)I can't wait until drones are flying over every neighborhood, on 24 hour watch and ready for action to protect all good and loyal citizens from troublemakers!
USA! USA! USA!
Response to Purveyor (Original post)
AnotherMcIntosh This message was self-deleted by its author.
Angry Dragon
(36,693 posts)For the military not the OP
Tierra_y_Libertad
(50,414 posts)BlueStreak
(8,377 posts)And by that, we aren't talking about inconspicuous to the victim. We are talking about inconspicuous to the meddling news media.