Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Skynet catches the 3 wire...



I for one welcome our new flying killer robot overlords. Even if they are flying killer robot squid overlords.

I am assuming that the airborne HAL9000 program is not under sequestration?

I am also assuming that, while HAL is designed to fly mission profiles autonomously, there will still be a meat computer at the stick when he's cleared weapons free?

23 comments:

Joel said...

In the future, all conversations will end with the phrase, "I'm sorry, [your name here]. I can't do that.

WV: The gov's spending billions developing killer robots, and I have to prove I'm not one?

Joel said...

Correction: With robots, I mean. All conversations with robots.

Coffee.

Joe Allen said...

"I am also assuming that, while HAL is designed to fly mission profiles autonomously, there will still be a meat computer at the stick when he's cleared weapons free?"

I wouldn't count on that. HAL9000 and Dr. Asimov to the contrary, a machine is going to do whatever you tell it to, while there are some things that even the most debased meatbag will not do.

Lon Horiuchi, excepted.

Angus McThag said...

Did you notice the angle of attack light on the nose gear was yellow and stayed yellow without a hint of flicker to red or green?

Bubblehead Les. said...

You could ask OldNFO for details.

But then he'd have to kill you. ; )

Anonymous said...

But will it ever get drunk and stupid in Olongapo City?

HA! So it can't do everything a Navy flier can do!

Gerry

rickn8or said...

Maverick and Goose just became obsolete.

Geodkyt said...

I assure you, it will not replace meatbags in flight bags any time soon. Not even glasses-wearing, carpal-tunnel suffering meatbags whose handle is derived from their WoW character and who work from a CONEX full of electronics.

But it is nice to have a system that we can send someplace with really intense air defences. . . say, in a SEAD role to take out the tightest corridors so the Growlers and Prowlers can make a bigger hole for the SuperBugs.

Now, integrating these SOBs (including their spectrum, coverage, and E3 requirements) on a CVN is a Hell of a lot of fun. . . and each CVN is a unique snowflake. . .

Scott J said...

Your use of drones and HAL9000 in the same post makes me think of the drones in "Oblivion".

J.R.Shirley said...

"not intended for 'operational use'"

This is just a testbed platform.

Geodkyt said...

True, but the follow-on operational platform is humming along fine.

staghounds said...

The pilot is the cavalryman of the future.

Captcha Domicil dress

Don't ask, don't tell, HAL.

Joseph said...

Which is worse? Self aware robots or robots in the hands of our political class?

I trust either about as far as I can over-hand a Volkswagen.

Anonymous said...

There will be a meat computer at the stick, but it will be receiving orders from the silicon computer in charge.

jf

Mattexian said...

Maybe we'll luck out and Skynet will be that same computer from Eagle Eye which decides everyone in the chain of command who violated their oaths of office will be eliminated.

mariner said...

Mattexian,

Dream on!

Anonymous said...

We don't want to get rid of the meat computers, just the meat servos.

Our cunning plan just now is to send these robots into battle with herders.

Anonymous said...

I guess I'm just a stuffy ol' reactionary, but this sort of thing doesn't give me the warm 'n' fuzzies, partly because an unmanned aircraft won't shoot / not shoot based on the actual situation but rather will just do what it's programmed to do, but mostly because I just know that the Chinese have already figured out how to hack into it.

"Sir, the strike package is all launched."

"Excellent! Say... why are they all turning around and headed back this way?"

Anonymous said...

Actual Tarniss is a bot with brains. No meat needed. Wait till you see the ground. Bots. People Will be yelling "Terminator!" "Terminator!" Before being cut down by the 7.62mm chain guns. The Autonamous will gladly follow their UnConstitutional orders for the NWO.

Matt G said...

I seem to recall that Chris Muir depicted a world where this just made a higher end skeet shoot for Tam. ;)

Old NFO said...

MIL is not going away for weapons. Just sayin... And yes they nailed the landing; yellow is on speed, on glideslope!

Geodkyt said...

@Old NFO:

Interestingly enough, I have a tech brief coming up next week on MIL for weapons systems and the safety and C&C implications.

From the brief notice:

(U)". . . Existing software safety analysis and associated testing provides no assurance the intelligent system or the operators understand the downstream consequences of the intelligent system's decisions. As such, the classic human-in-the-loop hazard mitigation is of limited value. . . "

Geodkyt said...

Uh, "Ooops"? {grin}