vesicles
Colonel
Re: Manned fighter vs. UAVs
I agree that fighter pilots belong to an elite group. However, fighting is not about maintaining membership in an elite club. It is about efficiently using the weapon systems and winning the fight. In this sense, I believe that the idea that "anyone can do it" is actually a good thing. In any prolonged war, depletion of skilled soldiers is a serious threat to any side. During WWII, both Germans and Japanese gained major advantage at the beginning of the war because of their highly trained and skilled soldiers. As it went, they lost most of their skilled fighters and at the end had only teenagers to fight and that contributed to their loss of the war. If one can have the weapon systems that can be operated with minimal training, that would become a major advantage in any conflict as they can maintain effeicient fighting for much longer time.
I also agree that UAV control time-lagging is a serious problem NOW. But I believe that this problem can be solved easily with the pace of telecommunication developement that we enjoy nowadays. The same can also be said about 100% visual as this would be a couple of camera away.
Further, pilot in a cockpit also does not have 100% visual at all times. He/she has to twist and turn to see what is next to them, and even more importantly, behind them. That is why attacking from above and at 6 o'clock angle is alway the golden rule in dogfights. Most of the dogfight tactics are deisgned to explore this disvantage of the inability of the pilot to maintain visual awareness all 360 deg. Yet, this won't work with UAV operators sitting in front of minitors. With all monitors capturing 360 deg view placed in front of the operator, he/she can keep 360-deg-situation-awareness at all times. No one will be able to sneak up to them from behind and hiding in the sun.
I agree that fighter pilots belong to an elite group. However, fighting is not about maintaining membership in an elite club. It is about efficiently using the weapon systems and winning the fight. In this sense, I believe that the idea that "anyone can do it" is actually a good thing. In any prolonged war, depletion of skilled soldiers is a serious threat to any side. During WWII, both Germans and Japanese gained major advantage at the beginning of the war because of their highly trained and skilled soldiers. As it went, they lost most of their skilled fighters and at the end had only teenagers to fight and that contributed to their loss of the war. If one can have the weapon systems that can be operated with minimal training, that would become a major advantage in any conflict as they can maintain effeicient fighting for much longer time.
I also agree that UAV control time-lagging is a serious problem NOW. But I believe that this problem can be solved easily with the pace of telecommunication developement that we enjoy nowadays. The same can also be said about 100% visual as this would be a couple of camera away.
Further, pilot in a cockpit also does not have 100% visual at all times. He/she has to twist and turn to see what is next to them, and even more importantly, behind them. That is why attacking from above and at 6 o'clock angle is alway the golden rule in dogfights. Most of the dogfight tactics are deisgned to explore this disvantage of the inability of the pilot to maintain visual awareness all 360 deg. Yet, this won't work with UAV operators sitting in front of minitors. With all monitors capturing 360 deg view placed in front of the operator, he/she can keep 360-deg-situation-awareness at all times. No one will be able to sneak up to them from behind and hiding in the sun.
