Boeing is transforming F-16s into drones

The Boeing R&D team is immersed in the development of a project that could revolutionize the world of aeronautics as we know it. Many current fighters could be reused to become drones, thus avoiding combat casualties, in addition to the advantages this has, of course. The F-16 Fighting Falcons, declared obsolete, are living a second youth thanks to this ambitious Boeing project, we can see in the video that is inside the article. However, these fighters will have no real utility in combat, they are rather used as targets in practice.

By this we mean that they are used in the air to verify the effectiveness of new weapons live and direct, to achieve the maximum simulation of a real combat situation in the air. In this way, the weapons included in the new fighters will be much more reliable. The name given to this F-16 once it has been transformed into a drone, is QF-16, and its cost amounts to more than one million euros. The process of transforming these units into drones begins by getting rid of everything not essential and the incorporation of a new electronic system that is responsible for "moving the plane."

A new control system replaces the human being, and for now it is used by the US Air Force to practice with real goals. It is not the first time, the F-4 Phantoms were already used as drones, however, according to Popular Mechanics and Avionics Magazine, the old QF-4 are beginning to be scarce and it is time to replace them. Perhaps the time will come when human drivers are totally expendable, just as there is notable progress being made in automation at the smart car level. It's all about time.