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The problem with the original article is that the writer seems to equate a fighter-sized RPV with an air-to-air vehicle...a "fighter". At this point, they are not intended for that mission, nor were they ever for the X-45/47 vehicles. All the UCAV prototypes discussed are actually "attack" vehicles intended to focus almost exclusively on putting ordnance on the surface. Perhaps the "fighter" mission will evolve sometime in the future, but not with these aircraft. Being able to mount an air-to-air system for a publicity picture does not make it an air-to-air system. Ask any fighter pilot how he'd do in air combat if his sight picture of the bad guy and resulting reactions were delayed 2-4 seconds because of transmission delays through an extensive comm structure relaying data from the aircraft to Creech AFB then back to the aircraft! Until that issue is resolved, or the "autonomous vehicle" is made trustworthy, I think the air-to-air "dogfighting" mission for UCAVs will be minimal.

Well, add another AK to the herd! I picked up the Khyber Pass clone today along with four Russian bakelite mags for $825... Merry Christmas to me! Cheers! M2