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Boeing's Unmanned Phantom Ray Makes Dramatic Video debut, Set to Take Off This December

Posted May 17, 2010 8:49 AM

From Engadget:

The big new trend among wargadget makers seems to be the elimination of the fleshy operator, and we're seeing it happening with helicopters, boats, and even space shuttles. The Phantom Ray is Boeing's take on how we can do the same to jet fighters, and it's had its official unveiling in St. Louis this week. Primarily intended to serve as a reconnaissance and intelligence drone, this 36 foot-long airborne robot will be able to cruise at speeds of up to 614mph, and will even do a bit of suppression fire when you need it to. It's designed to be undetectable by radar and offers a minimal heat signature for missiles to lock on to, as its engine is buried deep within the body. Sounds ominous indeed, but the Phantom Ray will serve as the testbed for even more advanced technologies and will take its first flight in December of this year. See its grand debut on video after the break.

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#1

Re: Boeing's Unmanned Phantom Ray Makes Dramatic Video debut, Set to Take Off This December

05/18/2010 1:23 AM

Looks like a Cylon Raider prototype. Maybe NASA can use it for meteorological surveys...

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#2

Re: Boeing's Unmanned Phantom Ray Makes Dramatic Video debut, Set to Take Off This December

05/18/2010 2:51 AM

Wonderful tech, it's the ethics (or lack thereof) on the hands of a gung-ho - kill it, then we will talk to it General that scares me enough to have change my trousers. "A bit of suppression fire" quickly turns into total oppression.

Boeing might even think of leasing a couple to poorer air-forces like Zimbabwe or Sudan, oh heck even South Africa so-that they can all speed up their ethnic cleansing programs. That's the only danger of the continued military technical development, it never stays only in the hands of the "good guys".

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#3
In reply to #2

Re: Boeing's Unmanned Phantom Ray Makes Dramatic Video debut, Set to Take Off This December

05/18/2010 12:47 PM

ditto...

when the sh*t hits the fan, and chaos rules, there are no good guys.

that being said.. will it be autonomous in a time of war?

will it still have a pilot located somewhere else...

what was that old startrek episode...

Chris

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#5
In reply to #3

Re: Boeing's Unmanned Phantom Ray Makes Dramatic Video debut, Set to Take Off This December

05/30/2010 12:48 PM

brits have one flying autonimously for over two years

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#4

Re: Boeing's Unmanned Phantom Ray Makes Dramatic Video debut, Set to Take Off This December

05/30/2010 12:42 PM

Hey big deal the brits have been flying uavs autonimously for over two years now,way behind fellas

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