[jmward01]

I have long maintained that command and control aircraft will be the only piloted things in the future (and just so they can evade easier). Have them stand off and be able to control directly via line of sight/hard to jam comms (likely by relay of some comms drone network), but also have relays back to other controllers in case the primary command and control becomes unable. By 'control' though it is clear that this will just be authority based and much higher level 'patrol over here weapons free' not 'turn left to 180'. The future is drones, either single use (missiles, TLAMs but with more autonomy, etc) or multi-use like reapers, etc but all of them with much more autonomy.

The fighter pilot mafia mentality is hard to change though just like the bomber mafia. Ukraine is likely changing that mentality a lot right now though. This feels like a battle ship vs aircraft carrier moment for aircraft so maybe this shift will happen sooner than I thought. Not that that is a good thing unfortunately, just an inevitable one.