In the Skynet future, hunter-killers, or HKs, are aerial drones that seek and destroy the remaining humans left in the world. They are lethal, and not easily brought down by the Resistance fighters. They can range in size from miniature drones which can chase their targets on the ground (as seen in T2-3D), to large aircraft capable of bringing maximum firepower. Drones have been a part of the American arsenal for some time now, going back to the Tomahawk missile. The modern-day drone was originally intended for use as just an aerial observation platform, but current iterations have them armed and ready to conduct strike operations. Other countries have deployed them for military purposes, but the U.S. is the leader in that area. The reason drones are starting to see more use on the modern battlefield is primarily because they are a much cheaper alternative to sending in fighter aircraft or troops to attack enemy targets. The most expensive one (at the moment) is the MQ-9, which costs $12 million per drone. But compare that to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, which costs from $180 to $300 million per fighter, and you start to see the value of drones to military conquest. Drones require a lot less maintenance than fighter aircraft, can be launched from nearly anywhere, and dont require crew rest. If they crash or are shot down, no pilot can be killed or captured. Soldiers and airmen being held at gunpoint or executed by triumphant enemies doesnt play well with the folks back home. And theres no politically embarrassing cockpit chatter that makes its way into WikiLeaks and YouTube videos. As the technology advances, the drones become more autonomous. Theres still going to be a human on the other end, programming in the mission objectives, but the drone technology will continue to increase to the point where thats the only thing the human monitoring it will have to do. And therein lies the HKs.
