SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post - F-16 jet takes off with pilotless/empty cockpit

Stealhead · 09-24-13, 02:02 PM

Maybe it was just a QF-16 flying from Tyndal AFB one of the drones that gets missiles shot at.

Looking at the photo that is what that plane is a QF-16 if so this is not a major development.Or at least what it really means is they are testing QF-16 for full drone deployment to replace the QF-4s in this role.They are target drones.Now what they might be planning for the QF-16s is for a mobile flying ability to make a more challenging target for training.

A slight bit of spin in this story if you ask me pun not intended.The live fire test means that something will be firing at the QF-16 not the QF-16 firing at something.

Here is what is really happening http://www.f-16.net/f-16_versions_article29.html i feel that the BBC story is placing spin to make it sound like this is something that it really is not... a combat drone.

News for everyone there have been pilot-less drones since WWII and advanced ones since the late 50's the QF-16 is replacing the QF-4 which replaced the QF-100 which replaced the QF-86 nothing new here just progression to the next good mothballed airframe.

Not to say that advanced combat UAVs are not on the development table but those and a pilot less target drone are so different they do not even play at the same ball park.

09-24-13, 02:02 PM	#7
Stealhead Navy Seal Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Kentucky Posts: 5,421 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	Maybe it was just a QF-16 flying from Tyndal AFB one of the drones that gets missiles shot at. Looking at the photo that is what that plane is a QF-16 if so this is not a major development.Or at least what it really means is they are testing QF-16 for full drone deployment to replace the QF-4s in this role.They are target drones.Now what they might be planning for the QF-16s is for a mobile flying ability to make a more challenging target for training. A slight bit of spin in this story if you ask me pun not intended.The live fire test means that something will be firing at the QF-16 not the QF-16 firing at something. Here is what is really happening http://www.f-16.net/f-16_versions_article29.html i feel that the BBC story is placing spin to make it sound like this is something that it really is not... a combat drone. News for everyone there have been pilot-less drones since WWII and advanced ones since the late 50's the QF-16 is replacing the QF-4 which replaced the QF-100 which replaced the QF-86 nothing new here just progression to the next good mothballed airframe. Not to say that advanced combat UAVs are not on the development table but those and a pilot less target drone are so different they do not even play at the same ball park. Last edited by Stealhead; 09-24-13 at 02:12 PM.