US Navy tests bizarre bat-wing robo-bomber

02-08-2011 • Terrence Aym

Edwards Air Force Base, California: The US Air Force has nothing on the US Navy. While it's true the USAF has top guns slipping their superstealth aircraft through layers of enemy radar—snapping photos from 100,000 feet of the enemy enjoying an afternoon tea—the salty seadogs only respond with a deprecating smile.The grinning swabbies proved once again they can command the sky (as well as the seven seas) with their radically designed, bat-winged X-47B jet. As the aircraft roared off the sprawling Air Force base's desert runway February 7th, it turned, banked, and clawed itself upwards into the pristine sky. As it flew, the benchmark for pilotless military aircraft was ratcheted up several more levels. The robot plane responded to computer commands transmitted by a ground-based technical flight team.