From: Michael M. Butler (butler@comp-lib.org)
Date: Sun Oct 29 2000 - 01:26:48 MST
The two Blackhawks lost in Somalia were both taken down by tail shots
with RPG-7s. Strictly rocket science, Doug. :)
Got any ideas for a simple propulsion system that's a cheap as a
Panzerfaust but has the exhaust plume and signature of a Carl Gustav?
(see http://www.geocities.com/Pentagon/Quarters/2116/carlgustav.htm for
some background)
Longer range does mean guidance. Guidance, where needed, could best
(cheapest incremental bang for buck) be handled via wire (fiber)
guidance and television, provided one has enough cruise time to permit
launch from defilade with dogleg maneuvering. Autonomous guidance
systems start to have classic AI problems, as the ways to defeat the
classic Sidewinder and Sparrow are fairly well known. Cruise missiles
and other less-unstealthy delivery might be another matter.
I'm not sure how I'd feel about having a really *good* AI in a Kamikaze
role. But I had fun when I ran *my* simulated wire guided TOWs right
under the wheels of those video BMPs (:)).
BTW, I have heard a rumor the chickens didn't respond at all well to
pre-drop ack ack. Could be just a story.
Doug Jones wrote:
>
> Mike Lorrey wrote:
> >
> > "Eliezer S. Yudkowsky" wrote:
> >
> > > I William Wiser wrote:
> > >
> > > > I am willing
> > > > to hear arguments on either side but for now I will go with
> > > > the idea that the second amendment is a good idea and was put
> > > > there for a reason.
> > >
> > > The US population exists at the sufferance of the US military until such time
> > > as the average Joe owns a tank and a fighter jet.
> >
> > No, we just need Stinger and TOW missiles to shoot down Uncle Sugar's tanks and
> > jets. We could build our own missiles if it comes down to it. I'll be our buddy
> > Doug would LOVE to play with those toys...
>
> Heh. At a Flag Day open house at Peterson AFB around 15 years ago, they
> had a Stinger missile training simulator which they allowed the public
> to handle. The NCO in charge was not amused when I tracked a commercial
> airliner with it...
>
> Propulsion is what I know, guidance can be a bear. On the gripping
> hand, video cameras and image processors are cheap and getting cheaper.
> Hell, pigeons were trained to peck at the image of an aircraft or ship
> by BF Skinner 60 years ago. The project wasn't completed, but they
> could have had precision guided munitions (pigeon guided munitions?) in
> the 1940s.
>
> --
> Doug Jones
> Rocket Plumber, XCOR Aerospace
> http://www.xcor-aerospace.com
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