Not that bad, if you can make it like a loyal wingman, drawing enemy fire etc. But yea its better to design something for that role.
JF-17/FC-1 Fighter Aircraft thread
- Thread starter johnqh
- Start date
How so? You already have the flight body needed, just design a control system and replace the pilot controls with it.
Flight control systems(and all other subsystems) of old* aircraft are designed around the man in the cockpit. Not just with a man in the loop. This makes their drone conversions either basic or expensive(and still fairly basic).
So you get a platform with all expenses of a full-sized manned fighter(sans the pilot), throw in an expensive conversion, which somehow makes a plane to do something it wasn't originally intended to. Basically, you pay as if for an upgraded manned aircraft, but you get a very bad drone...with all restrictions of a manned aircraft.
Check all those QF-16s&co - they aren't all that expendable! Unless at the very edge of their lifespan. And even then, it's a rich country solution.
All in all, it's outright better to build(buy) a drone.
*old is too much of a word really. Only some of the latest aircraft are truly designed to simply throw man out of the loop when needed.
I would admit it was easier on FBW systems, but RC servos and such are doable. USAF operated QF-4 for a long time. The benefit of unmanned air combat vehicle is that you get human G tolerance out of the equation. Flying with semi autonomous mode with the help of AI, optionally manned from AWACS or land based center, at least that's how i predict post 5th gen air battles. Or you can use it like An-2 like the Azeris to pave way for SEAD missions.
asif iqbal
Lieutenant General
Pakistan should start using the JF17B for drone control
controlling a UAV using a fighter jet would add great advantage
the navy should also start looking into this area of warfare
we will hear some good news before this year is out from PAC
controlling a UAV using a fighter jet would add great advantage
the navy should also start looking into this area of warfare
we will hear some good news before this year is out from PAC
Old planes like QF-4 are turned into target drones for SAM and AAM practice.
Likewise, the PLAAF may have done so with the old planes that were not sold to museums or private collectors. The rest likely sold for valuable scrap. Your iPhone could have been made from metal from a J-7.
Replying to both.
Point is that if you want to convert an old fighter type into a UAV the roles of that UAV will be fairly limited.
In peacetime it will only be appropriate either as target drones (expendable) or as part of technology demos in pursuit of more advanced and proper, capable UAV or MUM-T.
In wartime it will only be useful as expendable decoys or diversions.
However conversion of an old manned aircraft would not be useful as proper future proof, modular, sensor or shooter equipped UAVs that were designed and built from the ground up for such a role.
What you're describing is basically just a glorified target drone or decoy aircraft at best.
This is off topic and I'm not going to go further into it in this thread -- but there is a reason why nations with proper, capable aerospace industries who are pursuing future UAVs aren't just converting their old manned fighters into UAVs.
Because such conversions will be limited in capability and scope compared to what true, future, clean sheet UAV designs will be capable of and how they are meant to be operated or their cost.
If your goal is just to have target drones for use in peacetime, or in wartime sending some unmanned old fighters as decoys or diversions, then sure, fine. But a proper capable UAV it will not be.