In the US, thinking about the disappearing drone

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The American Defense Advanced Research and Development Agency (DARPA) continues to delight all science fiction fans around the world. In October 2015, information appeared that the agency announced a competition for co-financing the development of a completely new type of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which, after successfully completing the assigned combat mission, should dissolve in the air in the truest sense of the word. That is, physically cease to exist, regardless of the conditions and properties of the environment. And disappear Drones must be without residues that could be identified in some way in the future.

In the technical assignment, which was published by the DARPA agency, it is directly indicated that the disappearance of the unmanned vehicle does not at all mean its return to the initial launch point, which could indicate to the enemy the location of the sender of the drone, or the use of various camouflage options. Moreover, according to the conditions for the destruction of a new drone can not use harmful chemicals or potent acids, as they can pose a real danger to the military. The possibility of using various explosives is also completely excluded, since an explosion will almost certainly violate the masked position or lead to the failure of the entire operation. That is, the UAV should disappear without attracting anyone's attention.

The new project received the sonorous name ICARUS (Inbound, Controlled, Air ‐ Releasable, Unrecoverable Systems, stands for “Incoming Controlled Air Unrecoverable Systems”). It is worth noting that in DARPA definitely love ancient Greek heroes. ICARUS is also a tribute to the myth of Icarus, whose wings burned when it flew up to the sun. This program is also based on the developments that were obtained as a result of conducting research within another project - Vanishing Programmable Resources (endangered programmable resources). The goal of this project was to develop electronic circuits that would have the possibility of physical extinction, after receiving the appropriate command, in order not to be in the hands of the enemy.



In accordance with the ICARUS program, it is planned to create a whole line of drones-ghosts, which are likely to be used by the special forces of the American army. At the same time, there is very little information about the developed drones. So far, only one aircraft is known, the carrying capacity of which will not exceed 1,4 kg. This UAV will have to gain the ability to carry through the air and drop loads weighing up to 1,4 kg right on target with a maximum deviation of 9,7 meters. At the same time, the drone should be able to fly at a distance of up to 150 kilometers and at an altitude of up to 10 meters. After the cargo is delivered to the place, the unmanned vehicle will have to disappear within 700 hours during the daytime of the day or within 4 minutes after the onset of civil twilight - the brightest part of twilight, which lasts from the moment the visible sunset over the horizon line until the center of the sun plunges below the horizon by 30 degrees.

Curiously, one of the most important parts for the new UAV is actually ready. This is a microcircuit, which is able to self-destruct after the appropriate command. Under the DARPA contract, BAE Systems and IBM have been working on it for almost two years. At the same time, the amounts of contracts concluded with these two companies are rather modest. So the American company requested 3,4 a million dollars for work, and the British 4,5 a million dollars requested. At the same time, how exactly the process of self-destruction of chips will be carried out is not known for certain. But this process begins with the destruction of the glass substrate of the chip, with the result that the semiconductor chip turns into silicon dust, noted in the agency DARPA.

However, the main secret at the moment remains the appointment of these ghostless drones. What kind of combat mission they will have to solve, and why it is so important to physically destroy the drone after its implementation, is not yet known. At the same time, such secrecy is understandable. Since practically all large and loud operations of the American special forces - the attempt to capture General Aidid in Somalia or the storming of Bin Laden’s residence in the suburb of Abbottabad was always accompanied by losses of various military equipment, including non-combat ones, which definitely indicated the attacking units. In addition, the need for such unmanned aerial vehicles may be explained by the Pentagon’s reluctance to allow modern electronics, which are literally stuffed with UAVs, into the hands of the enemy.



The ICARUS project is scheduled to be completed within 26 months after a contract is signed with an American defense company that can win the Pentagon tender. It is worth noting that earlier there appeared information in the media that the plans of the American military command also included the creation of a system for overcoming enemy air defense systems with the help of UAVs. In addition, in April 2015, the head of the US Navy spoke about the intention to completely abandon the use of manned fighter aircraft in the future, replacing them with drones.

Information sources:
http://expert.ru/expert/2015/44/rastvoritsya-v-vozduhe
http://hitech.newsru.com/article/13oct2015/darpa
http://lenta.ru/news/2015/10/09/bespilotniki/
http://technicamolodezhi.ru/news/novosti_nauki_i_tehniki/IKARUS_TERYAET_KRYLYA
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25 comments
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  1. +5
    29 October 2015 06: 26
    Interesting topic.
    1. -1
      29 October 2015 11: 47
      The main phrase is, apparently, "if the mission is successfully completed," the drone should dissolve without a trace, and if "the mission is not completed," it should fly back or something. Or is it just a play on words. Imagine, they sent a drone, but he did not find anything, well, it was stupidly not useful, but it was scrapped, it turns out money down the drain, empty.
      1. dpu
        0
        30 October 2015 19: 04
        As many as necessary. Congress will allow the deficit to increase by another trillion, and the rest of the world will be thrown off. Until congress and others like him get their faces filled.
  2. +1
    29 October 2015 06: 35
    Yes, interesting and really not usual ... I wonder how much will this "disappearing" cost?
    1. +1
      29 October 2015 15: 42
      Sheer pennies, if you remember childhood - how they made "smoke" from celluloid dolls. So it is here: the celluloid aircraft is very light and strong enough. And - a match head with a "box" (I'm exaggerating, of course). Will burn without a trace, for a sweet soul. But the fire will of course be visible. But its temperature is such that the microcircuits will melt.
      1. +1
        29 October 2015 22: 21
        Quote: satris
        Sheer pennies, if you remember childhood - how they made "smoke" from celluloid dolls. So it is here: the celluloid aircraft is very light and strong enough. And - a match head with a "box" (I'm exaggerating, of course). Will burn without a trace, for a sweet soul. But the fire will of course be visible. But its temperature is such that the microcircuits will melt.

        Prompt, prompt - you look, and will fly to us
      2. 0
        29 October 2015 23: 13
        Chips are silicon in a package. A pinpong "ball" can only smoke them ...
  3. +1
    29 October 2015 08: 38
    Well, the United States thought after the Russian military seized control in Crimea and put such a bird

    1. -1
      29 October 2015 09: 35
      nobody intercepted anything, it is feik. where is the proof? videos, photos.
      1. +4
        29 October 2015 15: 29
        Quote: Felix1
        nobody intercepted anything, it is feik. where is the proof? videos, photos.

        Of course, of course, fake, fake. As in Iran, this was not the case, after all, how did we "piggy-backed" and the beacons of democracy have done so. So, don't worry.
        Yes, and thank you for the opportunity to get to know the American developments very closely, so we are waiting for another "visit"
    2. +2
      29 October 2015 09: 47
      Well, the United States thought after the Russian military seized control in Crimea and put such a bird

      It seems to me, or is the indicated "birdie" a prototype, which in principle could not be in the Crimea?
  4. +3
    29 October 2015 09: 36
    Make it out of sugar, and at the right moment in a mug of boiling water to the enemy, let the ass stick together.
  5. +7
    29 October 2015 11: 05
    Having completed the task of mastering a couple of lard dollars - the drone disappeared. ☺
  6. 0
    29 October 2015 11: 23
    Some kind of chuhn. Exploded AFTER completing the mission, the drone will disrupt the operation and indicate to the enemy the position from where it was launched. How???? Through a spiritualistic session ????
  7. +2
    29 October 2015 12: 52
    Such drones are needed primarily for carrying out terrorist attacks. He brought a bomb, he himself dissolved in the air, there are no debris from him.
    And then from the grand stands - "What is your evidence?" (from)

    And in the case of real open hostilities - a small explosion, guaranteed to destroy the most important nodes - is more than enough to save technology.
  8. Mwg
    0
    29 October 2015 12: 59
    One question, but what for is it needed? I can’t imagine for what purpose it can be used. Any thoughts on this?
    1. 0
      29 October 2015 14: 37
      budget cut)
      You can still do sugar rockets
  9. 0
    29 October 2015 13: 56
    Clear business for mean affairs. Nobody will hide good affairs.
  10. 0
    29 October 2015 14: 27
    Quote: Dilshat
    Clear business for mean affairs. Nobody will hide good affairs.

    But all military and sabotage cases are vile.
  11. 0
    29 October 2015 16: 47
    Intelligent bandits.
  12. +1
    29 October 2015 16: 54
    I came up with - to make a drone from pressed dried fish (Whiskas) and send on a mission along with several fighting cats.
  13. 0
    29 October 2015 17: 58
    Interesting idea. Let's see what happens.
  14. 0
    29 October 2015 23: 17
    It is about destroying the contents of the UAV, and not the entire device. Though...
    1. 0
      30 October 2015 21: 27
      Just the whole device.
  15. +1
    30 October 2015 02: 12
    The most likely destination is the delivery of bacteriological weapons! As always, the Yankees are ready for any meanness, and if you still do not determine what they are to blame, they will bombard half the world with biological weapons!
  16. 0
    1 November 2015 23: 53
    thought so what is the problem? let the self-liquidation button stick here and the drone itself will disappear)))

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