Defense Minister splits the future of manned and unmanned driving

As the sixth-generation fighter program intensifies, Military insiders Assignment is on whether future fighter jets require pilots.

The Pentagon pours billions into the next-generation aircraft, pushing the boundaries between stealth and speed. But with the American eye on the future of air dominance, a question looms: Should Americans risk their lives in the cockpit?

The advancement of autonomous drones powered by AI is faster than many expected, causing some defense leaders to rethink the role of pilots.

Some people have a mentality that the F-35 should be the last manned aircraft. However, many pilots disagree.

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“This is controversial,” a former defense official told Fox News. “There are many people who think we shouldn’t consider building a manned fighter jet in the second half of this century.”

“Inside the Air Force, there are tough air superiority people. After what they did in Iran’s B-2 this week, they were on the cloud at nine o’clock… But in my opinion, I said, I said, why are we putting men in that cycle? Why are we not completely unmanned in 2050, at all?”

Air Force pilots flew B-2 bombers during a 36-hour round trip last weekend, attacking three Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump said the strikes have left Iran’s nuclear ruins “out as no one has seen before.” He praised the “brave” pilot who flew the plane as “the best shot in the world.”

But the fastest technological advances in U.S. history have left defense officials confused about how to plan for the future.

“So far, these services are just scratches on future manned and unmanned Takara (tactical air).”

“If AI technology continues to evolve within five years, then you’re on the wrong path when you’re just starting to make a decision about the F-47.”

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The U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Harvester UAV can conduct reconnaissance or prevent strikes. (Reuters/Janis Laizans)

Others insist Unmanned System There is still a lack of the decision reliability and cyber resilience required for high-risk combat.

Former F/A 18 Navy Pilot R-Calif, R-Calif. “It’s crucial that President Trump continues to use manned platforms,” said former Rep. “There are ideal academic debates about unmanned platforms only – but the network doesn’t exist yet. You need a distributed network with low latency, high bandwidth, a key node that we don’t.”

However, he urged Boeing to move quickly.

“Boeing needs to execute. They are unable to turn this into a tanker plan. It is absolutely crucial to do it correctly.”

Because the Pentagon’s famous acquisition schedule is long, some people worry that the sixth-generation aircraft matches their capabilities in their autonomous peers, and at a less risk to humans.

Garcia emphasized that the crew plays a unique role in orchestrating combat operations. “You still need quarterbacks to manage the drones, and situational awareness can be fed back into the entire advanced combat management system,” he said.

At the heart of this debate is the United States’ ability to project power while preparing for near-military conflicts. However, financial constraints are shaping what is possible.

“We ended up in the oldest, smallest, least ready situation in the entire history,” said the retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General. David DeptulaDean of the Mitchell Aeronautics Institute.

Trump unveiled the Air Force’s sixth-generation fighter jet in the Oval Office in March and revealed the F-47’s plans. (Demetrius Freeman/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Deptula told Fox News Digital’s “only” debate about the F-47 was about money, because “any budget has no way, shape or form that is not tied to our defense strategy.”

He said those who think drones are ready to take over as pilots will soon believe in “science fiction.”

“It may be sometime in the future, but we haven’t.”

Others warn air force The Navy may be staked differently on how UAVs consider the needs of its precious fighter jets.

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“So far, these services are just on the surface of mastering the appearance of manned and unmanned tactical air,” another former defense official said. “The Air Force wants to rush the F-47 to the IOC to defeat the driverless advocates,” referring to the Initial Operational Capacity (IOC).

“The Navy seems to be more measured than the f/a-XX approach that it was going to take a few years ago. Perhaps part of that is looking at where unmanned technology is going.”