Unmanned Will Steps on the Runway--The X-47B and the Shadow of an Uncontrolled Future (2011-2016)

Unmanned Will Steps on the Runway--The X-47B and the Shadow of an Uncontrolled Future (2011-2016)

The X-47B was the pioneer of America's dream of "war without man. Developed by Northrop Grumman, this unmanned combat aircraft can autonomously depart from and land on aircraft carriers and even refuel in the air without human intervention. In 2015, it finally achieved the world's first aerial refueling as an unmanned aircraft. The all-wing stealth aircraft was designed to soar through the air like a ghost, carrying precision-guided bombs and capable of diving into enemy territory without waiting for anyone's orders.

Behind this technology, however, lies a deep darkness surrounding ethics and control. The development cost of over 150 billion yen, combined with the distrust of drones within the military, led to the project's quiet demise in 2016. However, the aircraft in storage are still sleeping and ready to fly. Their cold silence gently foreshadows the future after humans have left the battlefield.