There is, for the next few decades, which is the period when the China issue will be determined, one way or the other.GIThruster wrote:There's no reason to ever put a pilot in a fighter plane again.
Schwartz: AF needs manned aircraft despite UAVs
We have slugged this out in the past. No need to regurgitate.Despite the Air Force’s emphasis on unmanned drones, manned aircraft are not going away, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz told reporters on Tuesday.
“Manned aviation will be part of the chemistry because at least for the near term, the Remotely Piloted Aircraft capability is not for contested airspace,” Schwartz said. “It is a benign airspace capability."
The Air Force will continue to need manned aircraft, such as the F-35s, for at least 30 more years to be able to penetrate sophisticated air defense systems, Schwartz said at his final press conference as chief.
viewtopic.php?t=1599&sid=4359fb56d48470 ... 8b96e0335a
viewtopic.php?t=1643&sid=4359fb56d48470 ... 8b96e0335a
viewtopic.php?t=2624&sid=4359fb56d48470 ... 8b96e0335a
viewtopic.php?t=3302&sid=4359fb56d48470 ... 8b96e0335a
The core of the China issue is whether or not 1.3+ billion people will continue to tolerate being undemocratically ruled over by a wealthy, privileged, authoritarian, one-party, militaristic dictatorship.
The vastly-outnumbered Communist Party leaders fear a popular uprising far more than the US. If push comes to shove, they will start a war to keep the populace under control.