Posted on Mar 29, 2019
The decline of the drone: U.S. military turns away from drones
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Pentagon anticipating pullout from Afghanistan and increasing focus on Pacific cutting back on drones.
The decline of the drone: U.S. military turns away from drones
Posted from aol.it
Pentagon
Drones
Congress
Civilian Supporter
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 4
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SGT (Join to see)
Are RoEs utilizing drones therefore insane?
Sow me a Commander that says “I don’t want any drones in my AO”, and I’ll show you a guy who won’t be in command for very long.
Sow me a Commander that says “I don’t want any drones in my AO”, and I’ll show you a guy who won’t be in command for very long.
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Oh this Is Not Good … I Hope They Don't Pull A Down Sizing And Mothball Like They Have Done In The Past... Thanks For The Share And info...
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LTC Ken Connolly
With second $760 billion Defense appropriation. Would like to hear the rationale. Maybe there is a replacement? DARPA is always hard at work looking at new toys and new ways to defeat the enemy. Sometimes even resurrecting old school stuff.
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Some thoughts from and old Air Force guy:
-Drones have mostly tactical application. When the Service moves toward more strategic applications, the tactical weapons systems get less emphasis and money.
-Drones aren't fun or sexy. Fighter aircraft are unquestionably fun and sexy. This sounds very sexist in the 21st Century I know, but there is still a strong group of fighter-pilot general officers occupying leadership positions in the USAF. Gen Goldfein, CSAF, Fighter Pilot; Gen Wilson, VCSAF, Bomber Pilot; Lt Gen Kelly, A3, Fighter Pilot; Lt Gen Harris, Plans and Programs (A5), Fighter Pilot. Pilots in general don't like drones.
-The Air Force is still divided into communities of interest, dare I say tribes, based on specialty. The aviators are divided into sub-groups by platforms. Air Superiority fighter pilots don't have the same interest as the air-to-mud pilots, who definitely have different interests from the Air Mobility pilots. Support personnel have different interests from the aviators in general and may have competing mission requirements varying from research and development to medical services, to transportation, to facilities management and engineering. These communities don't all get along to promote the Air Force mission in the Pentagon Budget Battles.
-The drone community is relatively small and has less influence than it's larger and more well established aviation and support communities. As the "new kid," drones are going to get less funding anytime priorities change or money gets tight.
-Drones have mostly tactical application. When the Service moves toward more strategic applications, the tactical weapons systems get less emphasis and money.
-Drones aren't fun or sexy. Fighter aircraft are unquestionably fun and sexy. This sounds very sexist in the 21st Century I know, but there is still a strong group of fighter-pilot general officers occupying leadership positions in the USAF. Gen Goldfein, CSAF, Fighter Pilot; Gen Wilson, VCSAF, Bomber Pilot; Lt Gen Kelly, A3, Fighter Pilot; Lt Gen Harris, Plans and Programs (A5), Fighter Pilot. Pilots in general don't like drones.
-The Air Force is still divided into communities of interest, dare I say tribes, based on specialty. The aviators are divided into sub-groups by platforms. Air Superiority fighter pilots don't have the same interest as the air-to-mud pilots, who definitely have different interests from the Air Mobility pilots. Support personnel have different interests from the aviators in general and may have competing mission requirements varying from research and development to medical services, to transportation, to facilities management and engineering. These communities don't all get along to promote the Air Force mission in the Pentagon Budget Battles.
-The drone community is relatively small and has less influence than it's larger and more well established aviation and support communities. As the "new kid," drones are going to get less funding anytime priorities change or money gets tight.
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