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If sub launched drones can eventually engage in precision bombstrikes and air-superiority operations, this could presage another shift in naval warfare.
why Navy is building submarine launchable drones instead of building submarine drones?
Secondly, a drone sub has vastly different mission capabilities than a drone aircraft.
How do they get it back?
I'd propose to wipe their memories and land them at a reasonably friendly if not secure location. (Order is important.) barring a safe landing spot, crash them as best you can. War is expensive. The last number I saw for a C5 was $5000/hour, and that was a long time ago.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why are drones supposed to be cheap?
It's one of their main competitive advantages. If a drone launch starts costing millions of dollars, the benefit it has over a traditional aircraft fly-over starts to diminish.
If sub launched drones can eventually engage in precision bombstrikes and air-superiority operations, this could presage another shift in naval warfare.
It used parts of the Tomahawk system, the precision bombing was largely covered. Drones are supposed to be cheap. Billion dollar delivery platforms don't really align with that. This is the US Navy trying to keep a weapon system designed for the cold war. An attack submarine that isn't stalking boomers is a hole in the water into which money is poured.
alternatives: satellite, long range bomber, surface fleet, seal squad...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Why are drones supposed to be cheap?
It's one of their main competitive advantages. If a drone launch starts costing millions of dollars, the benefit it has over a traditional aircraft fly-over starts to diminish.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's one of their main competitive advantages. If a drone launch starts costing millions of dollars, the benefit it has over a traditional aircraft fly-over starts to diminish.
I don't see traditional aircraft taking off from a submerged submarine any time soon. That would seem to be an alternative advantage to offset the cost.
I wonder if a waterproof quadcopter would navigate well underwater. It seems like it could be an interesting environment to experiment with advanced acrobatic maneuvers at lower speeds.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I don't see traditional aircraft taking off from a submerged submarine any time soon. That would seem to be an alternative advantage to offset the cost.
actually, the Japanese already invented that in WWII - http://www.nbcnews.com/science/sunken-japanese-wwii-submarin...