Live data from Hacker News

US Marines to get high-speed, radar-evading electric seagliders for rescue ops

interestingengineering.com

51–60 of 107 posts

Re: US Marines to get high-speed, radar-evading electric seagliders for rescue ops

#51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I laughed when I saw the article photo combined with the headline. The Marines will be island hopping in Higgins boats again before these are adopted. How long did it take it for the Osprey to make it into service?

These are nothing like the Osprey. The Osprey is way more complex. If one of the engines goes out on the Osprey, there is linkage that will allow the remaining engine to continue to power both rotors. Nevermind the mission profiles are completely different. How long did the SR-71 take to make it into service? How long did the F-22 or F-35 take? None of those answers have anything to do with the other.

>How long did the SR-71 take to make it into service? How long did the F-22 or F-35 take?

>None of those answers have anything to do with the other.

There's a pretty direct correlation between number of stakeholders who need to not object and procurement time.

One trick pony spy plane go fast took no time at all.

F15 but stealth took years

F35 cluster fuck took decades.

Re: US Marines to get high-speed, radar-evading electric seagliders for rescue ops

#52
post #32

Ground effect vehicles could be the thing that's needed to make drone based delivery a reasonable thing to do, especially around lakes. It's one of life's perennial disappointments that such things only get done in military terms and under the ludicrous notion they are rescue vessels.

That's never going to happen. Only a tiny fraction of the population live directly on lakeshores, and basically no warehouses. If drone based delivery is going to work then they'll have to fly out of ground effect to avoid structures and trees. The main advantage of ground effect vehicles is lower fuel consumption over long distances. That's not a priority for the short range battery powered drones used by delivery s…

>Only a tiny fraction of the population live directly on lakeshores,

I think you are mistaken sir.

I live by a lake myself and i've just talked to my neighbors, and they all live by a lake too.

Re: US Marines to get high-speed, radar-evading electric seagliders for rescue ops

#53
post #23
post #11

I wonder why the title clarifies "for rescue ops". Is there anything inherent to this technology that prevents it from being used for anything else? The article body insists on "demonstrations relevant to specific defense operations" which sounds quite broad and not limited to rescue ops in any way.

- Very fast - avoids radar/detection - water based My first assumption is that this is for stealth ops. "Rescue" doesn't need those features.

Stealth and rescue can go hand and hand, no? I guess stating “rescue” still may bury the lead in that case.

Re: US Marines to get high-speed, radar-evading electric seagliders for rescue ops

#54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I laughed when I saw the article photo combined with the headline. The Marines will be island hopping in Higgins boats again before these are adopted. How long did it take it for the Osprey to make it into service?

My father was a Marine in the late 80's, early 90's and would talk about the Osprey being in development. They were still in development 20 years later when I was a Marine. I did get to fly in one before getting out though.

Reminds me of this:

https://theonion.com/soldier-excited-to-take-over-father-s-o...

Re: US Marines to get high-speed, radar-evading electric seagliders for rescue ops

#57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These are nothing like the Osprey. The Osprey is way more complex. If one of the engines goes out on the Osprey, there is linkage that will allow the remaining engine to continue to power both rotors. Nevermind the mission profiles are completely different. How long did the SR-71 take to make it into service? How long did the F-22 or F-35 take? None of those answers have anything to do with the other.

>How long did the SR-71 take to make it into service? How long did the F-22 or F-35 take? >None of those answers have anything to do with the other. There's a pretty direct correlation between number of stakeholders who need to not object and procurement time. One trick pony spy plane go fast took no time at all. F15 but stealth took years F35 cluster fuck took decades.

The correlation you're looking for is number of requirements, not number of stakeholders. They can be related in joint programs but aren't always.

Re: US Marines to get high-speed, radar-evading electric seagliders for rescue ops

#58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>How long did the SR-71 take to make it into service? How long did the F-22 or F-35 take? >None of those answers have anything to do with the other. There's a pretty direct correlation between number of stakeholders who need to not object and procurement time. One trick pony spy plane go fast took no time at all. F15 but stealth took years F35 cluster fuck took decades.

The correlation you're looking for is number of requirements, not number of stakeholders. They can be related in joint programs but aren't always.

Eh, yes and no. They tend to have a pretty strong relationship to each other. But we've all been party to swiss army knife projects that get shit all over by stakeholders because they don't agree about what the right balance of "shitty at everything" ought to be.

Re: US Marines to get high-speed, radar-evading electric seagliders for rescue ops

#59

Ha, I love the "rescue ops". This will not primarily be for rescue ops. This will be for supporting Marine standin operations on and within the first island chain. The marines have been trying to figure out how they can handle sustainment and logistics in that environment. You can read some wonkish article about this (back in 2022) https://warontherocks.com/2022/09/sustainment-of-the-stand-i... . You'll note that the…

I laughed when I saw the article photo combined with the headline. The Marines will be island hopping in Higgins boats again before these are adopted. How long did it take it for the Osprey to make it into service?

Worth noting that the Cold War ended in the middle of the Osprey's development, and the peace dividend really stretched out the timeline for a lot of programs of that era. With higher consistent funding like we're seeing now, stuff will probably be adopted faster

Re: US Marines to get high-speed, radar-evading electric seagliders for rescue ops

#60

Ha, I love the "rescue ops". This will not primarily be for rescue ops. This will be for supporting Marine standin operations on and within the first island chain. The marines have been trying to figure out how they can handle sustainment and logistics in that environment. You can read some wonkish article about this (back in 2022) https://warontherocks.com/2022/09/sustainment-of-the-stand-i... . You'll note that the…

Would be a cool life, you operate a converted PBY Catalina that is a cargo plane and you bum around ferrying stuff
Post reply on HN