DASH - is it time for a reboot of this concept?

[pathology_doc]

From what I've read about DASH, it seems like the biggest problem with this quite reasonable concept was in the difficult, imprecise and primitive nature of the control system.


Leaving aside the wisdom of the tactical uses to which modern armed drones are currently being put, there is no doubt that remote control technology has improved HUGELY; likewise fly-by-wire and automatic stability control ease the pilot's task greatly. Is it time to think about a return to the pilotless helicopter concept for small ASW surface combatants? Or are there compelling reasons why a manned vehicle is invariably better?

 

[TomS]

If ASW was a higher priority, it probably would have happened already. As it stands, the ASW funding that is available is going more to unmanned surface vehicles, since they offer more persistence.

Still, they are studying an ASW sensor fit for Fire Scout:

http://www.navysbir.com/n15_1/N151-058.htm