19 missiles fired from UAVs in one attack in Pakistan

[Warpig-]

Originally Posted by Panzerfire

Talking about Overkill.
So many missiles... so few enemy casualties?

Let's see... Wiki puts an estimated cost of $68,000 for each Hellfire missile (If those were the missiles used)... so 19 of them would be equivalent to $1,292,000.
Almost 1.3 Million dollars to kill.... 17 insurgents (According to Al-Jazeera).

Well considering how much they'd have to pay in life insurance to put that many boots on the ground to actually enter an area like that on foot. It's a fraction of the cost. Even for attack aircraft, if one jet was shot down that's 10's of millions of dollars right there. Not to mention the actual cost of life. I know you were being sarcastic, but still

[Pariel]

Originally Posted by Warpig-

Well considering how much they'd have to pay in life insurance to put that many boots on the ground to actually enter an area like that on foot. It's a fraction of the cost. Even for attack aircraft, if one jet was shot down that's 10's of millions of dollars right there. Not to mention the actual cost of life. I know you were being sarcastic, but still

I don't believe that we've lost any fighter aircraft to enemy fire in Afghanistan, although I could be wrong.

However, a Chinook costs $10 million, and a Black Hawk costs $14 million, so losing one of them would cost a heck of a lot more than those missiles, and that has happened.

As you've said, the cost, both to deploy troops and to pay insurance for any killed in combat, would be far higher than the cost of those missiles.

[Solid Knight]

I imagine in the future they will have man-portable UAVs for intermediate aerial support.

[Sidewinder Zulu]

Originally Posted by Solid Knight

I imagine in the future they will have man-portable UAVs for intermediate aerial support.

Actually, they already have those in the field, although not in very large numbers yet. There's some information on them here, if you want:Miniature UAV - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Although I doubt that man-portable UAVs will ever carry weapons, at least not in the near future.
I don't know the exact weight, but I'm guessing that even one Hydra 70 mm rocket weighs more than the portable UAV. Until they can shrink the missile or reduce the weight, portable UAVs can't carry weapons.

Although they currently can provide information about a specific target to the operator, who can then contact an Apache or an armed UAV like a Predator to launch a weapon at it.
The networked battlefield is advancing rapidly.

[Solid Knight]

Originally Posted by Sidewinder Zulu

Actually, they already have those in the field, although not in very large numbers yet. There's some information on them here, if you want:Miniature UAV - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Although I doubt that man-portable UAVs will ever carry weapons, at least not in the near future.
I don't know the exact weight, but I'm guessing that even one Hydra 70 mm rocket weighs more than the portable UAV. Until they can shrink the missile or reduce the weight, portable UAVs can't carry weapons.

Although they currently can provide information about a specific target to the operator, who can then contact an Apache or an armed UAV like a Predator to launch a weapon at it.
The networked battlefield is advancing rapidly.

I was thinking more along the lines of a grenade launcher or small arms (like being able to attach an M4 to it). With the purpose of these vehicles being able to survey the enemy or eliminate small numbers of enemies.

Just imagine being able to deliver small arms fire from any angle you choose. Enemies firing from behind a concrete barrier or on top of a roof? Launch a drone to fire a 20mm or 40mm grenade at them.

[gx]

Originally Posted by Solid Knight

I was thinking more along the lines of a grenade launcher or small arms (like being able to attach an M4 to it). With the purpose of these vehicles being able to survey the enemy or eliminate small numbers of enemies.

Just imagine being able to deliver small arms fire from any angle you choose. Enemies firing from behind a concrete barrier or on top of a roof? Launch a drone to fire a 20mm or 40mm grenade at them.

Like the rounds that already do that? lol. They already have rounds that will go through a window and detonate in the middle of the room, or just over a trench, granted i don't believe they are giving out and were/are used mainly in testing.

[Solid Knight]

Originally Posted by gx

Like the rounds that already do that? lol. They already have rounds that will go through a window and detonate in the middle of the room, or just over a trench, granted i don't believe they are giving out and were/are used mainly in testing.

I am aware of that but you're still restricted to your line of sight when you use those weapons. The purpose of the MAV being armed is so you can obtain an optimal firing angle and be able to survey. Or perhaps to move your weapon into its optimal range.

[gx]

Originally Posted by Solid Knight

I am aware of that but you're still restricted to your line of sight when you use those weapons. The purpose of the MAV being armed is so you can obtain an optimal firing angle and be able to survey. Or perhaps to move your weapon into its optimal range.

Ahhh. well i thought there was something being tested at aberdeen that you could fire out of a 40mm that was pretty much just a camera and parachute. But that's about as good as you can get an account that you can't fire something out of a 40mm that has a camera the ability to move and fire explosive rounds like a 40mm.