[SoldierDad]

I absolutely do not like this idea. There is no substitution for a pilot when providing close air support of troops on the ground.

[USNBandit]

What is the point of 3g's if you are delivering pgms. If you aren't delivering pgms you need a pilot, not an operator sitting some place looking through the soda straw at the battle field.

This is at the same time when the skill being requested on the battlefield that we weren't training to is night strafe.

[RobRoy]

>>There is no substitution for a pilot when providing close air support of troops on the ground.<<

So far.

I firmly believe that we are going to, very soon, look at our A propeller driven WWII aircraft today.

I believe unmanned will replace manned as handily and effectively as jets replaced propellers. Maybe moreso. The pilots will live in places like North Dakota and go home to their wife and kids after a few missions.

I believe we will have hybrid “drones” where the planes take off and fly to the battle completely on their own where they will then be taken over by the human pilot back in the states. He will fly until the plane is out of ammo or low on fuel and then simply give control back to the computer. The computer will fly the plane back to base and land. Meanwhile, the pilot will have taken over a fresh arrival, and repeat the cycle for his 4-8 hour shift (with lunch and coffee breaks) and then go home to the wife and kids - Where he can grab a Bud Light and watch Black-hawk Down on his 10 foot screen with 7.1 surround.

As technology continues to advance, even the pilot back in the states will be unnecessary.

[Crim]

And there is no such thing as an unlawful order to a machine...

Remember just after Obama was elected Libs lemented the “red state army”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/14/AR2008121401815.html

Now a bigger push for all types of unmanned equipment....no thanks...