A predator drone like those used in missions over Afghanistan and Iraq prepared to be shipped from a General Atomics plant in Poway, Calif., where it was built. Jim Wilson/The New York TimesFrom The New York Times:
A missile fired by an American drone killed at least four people late Sunday at the house of a militant commander in northwest Pakistan, the latest use of what intelligence officials have called their most effective weapon against Al Qaeda.
And Pentagon officials say the remotely piloted planes, which can beam back live video for up to 22 hours, have done more than any other weapons system to track down insurgents and save American lives in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The planes have become one of the military’s favorite weapons despite many shortcomings resulting from the rush to get them into the field.
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My Comment: $5 million per drone or $3 billion per destroyer. Hmmmm .... that's about 600 drones for the price of one destroyer. Hmmmm .... I rather have the drones.
Warfare in the 21rst century will be remembered for the introduction and implementation of warbot systems (like the Predator And Reaper) into the battlefield. The way I see it, what is being used now is quite incredible, but what will be developed 20 or 30 years from now will be .... literally .... out of this world.