Well referring to a previous post, if anyone had a doubt as to the value of AI/remotely piloted air combat vehicles that demo pretty much settled it.

Well that's nice but here's what is currently available in a manned aircraft, one of our Lockheed/Boeing F-22 Raptor doing a low speed flight demo.

Take away the human and the structure can safely take higher G-loads of course.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CCb_XbmB_iE

This is fairly old but here's our Boeing Phantom Ray. Unfortunately I can't find any later videos of it in the public domain that show it flying But this and follow on programs have very high maneuvering capabilities.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QeKNhyhROm8

The maneuvering abilities of an RC (read unmanned) aircraft are spectacular. But let's not confuse maneuvering with real world Air to Air combat operations today.

True, the ability to dog fight is important, but in a real world scenario, it's a last resort. And I mean a VERY LAST resort. The second you decide to turn with an opponent is the second you enter the highest stakes poker game of your life. If you are worth your salt in a fighter, you should have a pretty good idea of trailing bogey's, but there is no guarantee your opponent doesn't have a couple of buddies that you didn't pick up on radar prior to the engagement. Turning into a fight exposes you to taking one up the tailpipe.

The idea is to radar sort the bandits coming into the merge, get off face shots at stand off distance, then blow through the merge supersonic and extend. Never turn with the opponent unless forced to.

But yep, those RC planes are very cool. I was into building and flying them most of the time I was flying fighters on active duty. Even built a couple of jets. Crashed my share of them too! OUCH!!!

Now this is totally amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PptMrBFAO-A

If that copter was real, the cockpit would be covered in puke. Amazing work of the controller.

Dave

This is really inredible stufff and done to music. A real Wow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRer5GdGneo