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Elon Musk says human-piloted fighter jets like the F-35 are obsolete. Drone tech can't yet fill the gap.
- Elon Musk called crewed fighters like the F-35 obsolete in the drone era.
- Small, cheap drones are transforming land warfare. But for military assets like the F-35, drones are still too slow and lack sufficient payload and range to be sufficient.
- The US military's priority Indo-Pacific theater requires a fast, low-observable, and maneuverable platform that can carry advanced sensors and stand-off weaponry over great distances through potentially contested airspace.
- The US is actively developing new semi-autonomous and artificial intelligence-driven aircraft, from pilotless F-16s to collaborative combat aircraft.
- Some former pilots and warfighting analysts recommend combining drones and crewed fighter aircraft to create the most effective and efficient tactics.
- The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is not only a US military aircraft but is also used by other countries for its many capabilities. There are still advantages to human pilots such as their flexibility and decision-making abilities.
- For the US military, having a combination of crewed and uncrewed systems enhances national security and is the best approach for improving airpower capabilities.
- As of now, drones cannot replace top-dollar weapons like the F-35. Existing remotely controlled systems only meet some demands, are expensive, and vulnerable to electronic warfare and surface-to-air threats.
- Although drones are changing war in unforeseen ways, experts suggest replacement might not be necessary, and a mix of both crewed and uncrewed systems is still needed.
- The fight is not crewed or uncrewed. It is figuring out how to integrate and combine both that brings the biggest leap ahead in warfighting capabilities and capacity. This combination is the secret to success.
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