On Sat, 21 Oct 2006 11:19:51 +0100, "Alistair Wright"
wrote:


"BT" wrote in message
news:uIh_g.5973$gM1.2824@fed1read12...
Have you ever been in the battle field and get shot at..?
this is not a "glider", but a test design of a powered Unmanned Arial
Vehicle (UAV) based on a glider design with an engine attached.. the "test
pilot" was there as a safety pilot..

There are dozen's of UAV designs and sizes, each with their own "combat
mission" and used every day to collect information on the battle field..
and to keep the ground based operator with remote controlled sensors out
of harms way.

I doubt very much the utility of this UAV. As a former designer of weapon
systems and surveillance gear using UAVs I have to say a glider with its
very low speed would not last long over most battlefields. UAVs are mostly
used for low level surveillance AFAIK and the ones I have been involved with
(two UK types) all flew at quite a high speed to avoid being shot down.

Before you can shoot it down you have to SEE it. If it's made of
fiberglass, forget seeing it on radar, and once it gets in close, gets
its pictures and transmits them, who cares if it's shot down? You're
already busted. The next object overhead will be coming in very fast,
with a load of explosives aboard.

rj