From: Ad 

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/2007/05/kicking-it-up-a-notch-poseidons-unm
anned-bams-companion/index.php

Some interesting points wrt cost etc.

1 is that both the P8 & the NATO Airbus 321 based alternative plan to
use "companion drones" basically to increase airframe life &
reduce fuel burn i.e. quite possibly the P8 will be almost a naval E8 .....
cruise at altitude giving it's radar etc the max range while directing it's
"companions" to do the low level fatigue/corrosion intensive
stuff.

The other is the following quote:

"The BAMS UAV competition is widely seen as a fight between Northrop
Grumman's high-flying, jet-powered RQ-4 Global Hawk, and General Atomics'
turboprop-powered Mariner (a cousin of its MQ-9 Reaper); but other entries
are possible and there are even reports that General Dynamics may enter an
unmanned G550 business jet."


Whoooo boy.....I'll bet the fly boys ain't keen on the G550 option as that
really does put the cat in amongst the pigeons.....So you can take an
existing std airframe &........automate it....hummm.....Gee next
they'll be fitting computers into F-16 seats.....or even...P8 driver
seats....


Adam

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