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Originally Posted by bookworm_020
I can see Australia not getting the full amount of fighters they put their had up for (up to 100). The RAAF will be selecting recon drone in the near future (the Global Hawk seems to be leading the charge for it). I can see more drones in the future, with a greater range of roles and abilities taking over from manned aircraft.
It makes sese in some respects, do you risk a drone worth $100 million or a plane worth $300+ million with pilot in a risky high threat situation???:hmm:
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With drones the inital cost is high but because they can be mass produced and operators do not need to be given as many costly training and supply measures as fighter pilots.. The cost quickly drops.
It is only because the soviet union fell that we are still using manned fighters. Otherwise they would likely have started deploying lasers and they envisioned unmanned drone uses back in the 60s...
And because they can be made smaller. They can start to be transported to the combat zone by transport aircraft. Such as C-130s being converted as carrier aircraft for a small squad of drones.
Add the fact that railguns and stealth would lay waste to any defences beforehand and the drones can come in and clear the entire area with minimal loss of aircraft such as an operation would require.