 The Phantoms were unable to maintain track on the UAV, but fired their air-to-air missiles anyway, receiving no hits.Over the next two decades, more reliable communications links were developed, automated systems came into much wider use, and the military learned to be much more comfortable with such new technologies.In the late 1990s, the concept of using UAVs for performing actual combat, was revived in the form of various designs generally designated as "uninhabited combat air vehicles".