USS Abraham Lincoln Remotely Controlled F/A-18 for Landings, Touch and Go's

The flight deck crew of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier has remotely controlled an F/A-18 Hornet through a series of touch-and-gos at sea for the first time using a specialized system known as the Aircraft Terminal Approach Remote Inceptor, or ATARI. The service may eventually give all of its flattops this same capability, which would be invaluable in the event of an in-flight emergency or poor weather and could also serve as an alternate means of recovering unmanned aircraft in the future.

In March 2018, the Landing Signal Officers on board the USS Abraham Lincoln used ATARI to maneuver a Hornet with a pilot inside from the “Salty Dogs” of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two Three (VX-23) through a standard recovery procedure. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) first began testing the system on land in 2016 using a modified Learjet, before installing the necessary equipment in some of VX-23's F/A-18s the following year.

www.thedrive.com...

I am both amused and appalled by the ATARI name for the system.

The article mentions there are a number of scenarios where the system would be useful: if there is a pilot issue like hypoxia, forex.

However, I have to wonder a bit if this is going to lead - and this is pure and completely unsupported speculation - to the Navy using the Hornets as a Loyal Wingman for the FA-XX or whatever they end up calling it. That way they can fluff up the numbers of birds on the deck (The Nimitz and Ford classes can carry a lot more aircraft than they currently do. A LOT MORE) while not having to buy as much as they would if they were to fill the decks with pure FA-XX or other aircraft: truthfully, they are going to need a lot more than just the FA-XX in the relatively near future, just saying...

That does present a moderate problem though: the carriers are meant for Day One of War. Either that means stealth or it means attritability. I dont think the navy ever bought enough Rhinos to make them attritable and they sure as heck are NOT stealthy.

a reply to: anzha


Maybe this is what the equipment looks like haha

ATARI might have a copyright claim on the thang.

Here's the GUI the Navy stole from them:

Is that the 2600 or 5200 version? Did they use Intellivision simulators?

a reply to: lakenheath24

Version 2.0 will consist of a updated Nintendo virtual boy and power glove. I'm getting old!!

originally posted by: anzha

The flight deck crew of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier has remotely controlled an F/A-18 Hornet through a series of touch-and-gos at sea for the first time using a specialized system known as the Aircraft Terminal Approach Remote Inceptor, or ATARI. The service may eventually give all of its flattops this same capability, which would be invaluable in the event of an in-flight emergency or poor weather and could also serve as an alternate means of recovering unmanned aircraft in the future.

In March 2018, the Landing Signal Officers on board the USS Abraham Lincoln used ATARI to maneuver a Hornet with a pilot inside from the “Salty Dogs” of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two Three (VX-23) through a standard recovery procedure. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) first began testing the system on land in 2016 using a modified Learjet, before installing the necessary equipment in some of VX-23's F/A-18s the following year.

www.thedrive.com...

I am both amused and appalled by the ATARI name for the system.

Thanks for the link. But "appalled"??? Your whole commentary is ludicrous.

a reply to: lakenheath24

You can hack them by interfacing with a good Atari emulator. Stella's probably the best one for PC, remote access:
stella-emu.github.io...

Then there's a bunch for Android if you can infiltrate.

Wonder if this has come out of the Xb47?

when they need to upgrade they can borrow some boatswains mates raspberry pi/retro pie emulator and download a 3.7Kb program to land the f18s.

a reply to: BASSPLYR

Would you happen to know where to download the ROM from?

The most useful, and advanced technology for Naval Aviation since the Fresnel Lens, and all people can do is discuss the name.

a reply to: Zaphod58

And here I thought we were endearing it with retro cult stuff.

a reply to: Zaphod58

This is ATS, zaph. are you surprised?

I heard to land the f18s via remote the Atari operator simply presses Up, Up, Down, Down Left, Right, left, Right, A, B Select, Start.

a reply to: BASSPLYR

Oh thats counterintelligence disinfo. To do that maneuver would requires an NES controller. But I hear that is how the Japanese do it with their "KONAMI" (Kickass Onboard Naval Autonomous Marine Inceptor) flight deck system.

The Japanese interface is way more kickass if you ask me.

a reply to: anzha

I don't know. The article is dated April 2, so it is a bit early for a prank.

I found this paragraph kind of lame:

But if ATARI doesn't rely on satellite links, it could be especially useful in a GPS-denied environment and might be the only option for getting drones that rely on satellite navigation back on the ship. It could also be an important substitute for the GPS-dependent JPALS, as well.

Satellite lag makes manual control difficult at best. UAV recovery, prior to advanced landing systems, was manual for that reason. Further, GPS jamming and satellite control seem unrelated to me.

a reply to: Zaphod58
I would have to disagree, having learned/used dead reckoning navigation I think GPS is a giant leap forward..

a reply to: manuelram16

GPS wasn't designed for Naval Aviation. It was developed for general use.

originally posted by: BASSPLYR
I heard to land the f18s via remote the Atari operator simply presses Up, Up, Down, Down Left, Right, left, Right, A, B Select, Start.

Surely posting that is a breach of some sort of official secrets act!!

Next you'll be posting pics of a hangered F21!!

a reply to: Zaphod58

Actually, iirc, GPS was originally designed to improve the accuracy of nuclear weapons.