UK military cuts, fear not ..
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: by the Great Salt Lake, USA
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To elaborate on FB's answer, all of those were available 30+ years ago:
Personal computers (the desktop model) were being sold fairly inexpensively in the US by 1979... my high school bought some 30 Commodore PETs (Personal Electronic Terminal) that fall.
That's 34 years ago.
I bought my (so far only) laptop computer (Toshiba T1000) in early 1988.
That's 25 years ago.
The first hand-held mobile phone was demonstrated by John F. Mitchell and Dr Martin Cooper of Motorola in 1973, using a handset weighing around 2.2 pounds (1 kg). In 1983, the DynaTac 8000x was the first to be commercially available.
That's 40 years ago for the prototype and 30 years ago for production models.
The USN was flying the Gyrodyne QH-50 DASH (Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter) from modernized WW2 destroyers starting in 1959 (first flight, service entry 1963). And yes, I'd say that it was a UCAV... it carried 2 Mk44 ASW torpedoes or 1 Mk17 nuclear depth charge with a W44 warhead.
That's 50 years ago.
The DASH program was canceled in 1969. Although low reliability was the official reason, the manufacturer pointed to the expenses of the Vietnam War, and the lack of need for antisubmarine capability in that war.
Modified DASH vehicles continued to operate for several more years in the Vietnam War. With attached television cameras, they were used as remote artillery spotters and organic reconnaissance by their ships.
As of 2006, a small number of DASH drones were still in operation at White Sands test range, where they are used to tow targets and calibrate radars and electronic systems.
The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force operated a fleet of 20 QH-50 drones, for use on their Takatsuki and Minegumo class destroyers. With the difficulty of maintaining DASH operations after the termination of the U.S. program, the drones and associated equipment were removed from JMSDF service in 1977.
The F-117 first flight was June 1981, and IOC was October 1983. The Nighthawk saw its first combat operation in Panama in December 1989.
That's 29 1/2 years ago for IOC and over 23 years ago for combat debut.
Personal computers (the desktop model) were being sold fairly inexpensively in the US by 1979... my high school bought some 30 Commodore PETs (Personal Electronic Terminal) that fall.
That's 34 years ago.
I bought my (so far only) laptop computer (Toshiba T1000) in early 1988.
That's 25 years ago.
The first hand-held mobile phone was demonstrated by John F. Mitchell and Dr Martin Cooper of Motorola in 1973, using a handset weighing around 2.2 pounds (1 kg). In 1983, the DynaTac 8000x was the first to be commercially available.
That's 40 years ago for the prototype and 30 years ago for production models.
The USN was flying the Gyrodyne QH-50 DASH (Drone Anti-Submarine Helicopter) from modernized WW2 destroyers starting in 1959 (first flight, service entry 1963). And yes, I'd say that it was a UCAV... it carried 2 Mk44 ASW torpedoes or 1 Mk17 nuclear depth charge with a W44 warhead.
That's 50 years ago.
The DASH program was canceled in 1969. Although low reliability was the official reason, the manufacturer pointed to the expenses of the Vietnam War, and the lack of need for antisubmarine capability in that war.
Modified DASH vehicles continued to operate for several more years in the Vietnam War. With attached television cameras, they were used as remote artillery spotters and organic reconnaissance by their ships.
As of 2006, a small number of DASH drones were still in operation at White Sands test range, where they are used to tow targets and calibrate radars and electronic systems.
The Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force operated a fleet of 20 QH-50 drones, for use on their Takatsuki and Minegumo class destroyers. With the difficulty of maintaining DASH operations after the termination of the U.S. program, the drones and associated equipment were removed from JMSDF service in 1977.
The F-117 first flight was June 1981, and IOC was October 1983. The Nighthawk saw its first combat operation in Panama in December 1989.
That's 29 1/2 years ago for IOC and over 23 years ago for combat debut.
Last edited by GreenKnight121; 1st May 2013 at 14:49.
I assume the bionic soldier of the future would have his tackle modified so it did not supercede brain?
A fair few civilians could do with that mod. of course.
A fair few civilians could do with that mod. of course.
This also reminded me of the concluding chapter of Airland Battle 2000 by Christy Campbell written in the mid to late 80s. Whereby it was said that a UK company was researching a Soldier 2000 equipped with a lightweight kevlar all in one suit with added NBC protection, armoured helmet and visor with eyes up display and lightweight bergen / backpack with twin vertical launch anti armour missiles and an advanced automated rifle with l@ser and night vision.
Spot on. 3 phase programme endorsed and ISD was meant to be about 2006 IIRC. I can't remember the missile but politics decreed SA80 would not be replaced because it was the best thing since sliced bread, so it was officially in Phase 3 which IIRC was ISD 2015. The clothing part of it was set aside by the clothing people at Biscester, transferred to AbbeyWood and then back again. It has an acronym, something like PECOC. Originally it was Crusader 2000 or something like that. Helmet was upgraded, but I think the head up display was cancelled. I remember this all being trialled in Cyprus in the 90s. The difficulty was that Bowman was to provide a lot of the C4I stuff but didn't so the programme had to pay for basic kit and forsake the advances.
