U.S. Air Force now has an F-16 Drone

[Steve Hess]

The U.S. Air Force and Boeing have sent their first unmanned F-16 jet plane into the air — a drone craft test that promises to change the shape of battlefield missions in years to come.

“Now we have a mission-capable, highly sustainable, full-scaled aerial target to take us into the future,” said Lt. Col. Ryan Inman, in Sky News.

The unmanned plane was test-flown by two pilots at a ground control station at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, The New York Post reported.

It was deemed a success.

The drone F-16 performed all of its take-off sequencing, as well as all its simulated maneuvers and flight and landing procedures, the military reported, in a statement to Sky News.

“It was a little different to see an F-16 take off without anyone in it, but it was a great flight all the way around,” Lt. Col. Inman said.

[T-38Talon]

Maybe amateurs can take a ride in it seeing as the front seat is unoccupied!?
This ought to be a huge boost for training purposes.

[T-38Talon]

Here's a photo - hoping this works:

[expat]

A bit of a "look what we can do". It may replace the F16 pilot, but an F16 pilot flying an RC F16 is not the same as a pilot in the cockpit. The RC pilot will have no feeling for the situation, and no spacial awareness. Also no matter what camera is installed, it will never react as quickly as the swivel joint that we have between our heads and neck.

Matt