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Anduril announces Roadrunner, jet-powered VTOL drone

(www.anduril.com)
186 points drak0n1c | 4 comments | 01 Dec 23 05:04 UTC | HN request time: 0.837s | source
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rootcage ◴[01 Dec 23 05:40 UTC] No.38483558[source]▶
ATM the biggest problem for LRAD is cost, you fire a $12K Patriot missile to intercept what is either a $40 million jet or a $300 drone. This is revolutionary.
replies(5): >>38483573 #>>38483585 #>>38483588 #>>38483589 #>>38483595 #
ompaLompa ◴[01 Dec 23 05:45 UTC] No.38483588[source]▶
A single patriot missile is estimated to cost $4 million USD

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/patriot-missile-ukraine-explain...

replies(2): >>38483614 #>>38483619 #
slt2021 ◴[01 Dec 23 05:51 UTC] No.38483614[source]▶
Directed energy (laser) will solve this issue, so that Patriots are only engaged for expensive planes, while lasers will destroy drones and cheap ballistic rockets
replies(2): >>38483634 #>>38483638 #
missedthecue ◴[01 Dec 23 05:55 UTC] No.38483634[source]▶
They will not solve this issue because laser weapons will not work when light is defracted (fog, heavy clouds, rain), and they will not work against targets beyond the horizon. It's not a technology hurdle, it's a physics impossibility.

Interceptor missiles are here to stay. Lasers will accompany them but never replace.

replies(1): >>38483666 #
1. slt2021 ◴[01 Dec 23 06:01 UTC] No.38483666[source]▶
There is still benefit in shooting laser at a speed of light, instead of a guided rocket which travels at 2-3 Machs at best.

2 machs is ~0.686 km/s - vs 300k km/s for laser.

and laser can be mounted on a plane, which makes it even more dangerous for air2air combat

replies(1): >>38484124 #
2. Maxion ◴[01 Dec 23 07:27 UTC] No.38484124[source]▶
Lasers won't really be used in A2A, except for maybe intercepting missiles and drones.

There's not really any A2A going on anymore within visual range.

replies(1): >>38488874 #
3. ElectronCharge ◴[01 Dec 23 16:48 UTC] No.38488874[source]▶
You speak with certainty, when you clearly have little knowledge on the topic.

Stealth aircraft are immune to targeting radar guided lock except at quite close range. IR missiles are better, but are generally not BVR.

Also, at high altitude “within laser range” could be at “BVR” type ranges, e.g. over eighty km.

replies(1): >>38493427 #
4. Vecr ◴[01 Dec 23 22:29 UTC] No.38493427{3}[source]▶
You can (in theory) guide an air-to-air missile in at that range remotely using an optical targeting pod on the launching fighter, it's generally more risky though because you can't immediately break contact like you can with a Meteor for example. Meteor is highly resistant to ECM however, and a remote guided missile might not be. In all cases however, any laser system you can power on a fighter jet (assuming current and near future technology) will not be able to target a manned or unmanned fighter jet in a way that a remote guided missile system can't. A laser system could be useful for close range defense.