Sikorsky X2

[UnderseaLcpl]

Ok, forget the machine gun thing, it isn't worth nitpicking over things like how a gatling gun is not a machine gun, and totally misses the point of the analogy.

Originally Posted by Zachstar

What I see here is trying to rationalize UAV fear more than anything else. You and others either worry that they will be hacked or they will make fighter pilots useless. The "God gave us the best computer" doctrine.

For the record, while some may "fear" UAVs, I am not amongst them. I love UAVs. Worked with them before, and they are great, when they work. And I'm a groundpounder, so I already think fighter pilots are useless:p

It's because of UAVs spotting IED placement crews that we have lost only a few thousand rather than 10 thousand or more.

Maybe, but I'd have to see a source for that before I believe it. I wouldn't know about Afghanistan, but in Iraq the most common IED deployment methods make UAVs (or indeed, any aerial platform) singularly unsuited for detecting them.
The UAV probably won't be flying in a sandstorm, and it isn't going to see guys emplacing the device one piece at a time through a hole in their car's floor over the course of several days.

Let me make it clear BTW. The United States Military will NEVER use the KA-50 or 52 in combat. NEVER. At best we may buy one to play with or study weaknesses with but NEVER use it combat. Oh and BTW the KA-50 sucks compared to even an Apache-A much less a Longbow.

Does it? Well, I guess that's to be expected since it's designed for a completely different role, but oh well. I was just suggesting that the design might be suited to a UAV conversion for simplicity of operation and to keep costs down.