Title: The Pilotless Air Force?
Subject: A look at replacing human operators with advanced technology.
Author(s): Robert C Nolan
DTIC Keywords: REMOTELY PILOTED VEHICLES
Abstract:
Today, there are several concepts that are threatening Billy Mitchell's vision
of airmen. New technology and operational concepts are threatening the
existence of the human aircraft operator. Looming on the horizon are unmanned
aerial vehicles, spaced based weapons, and information architectures. This
research effort is limited in scope. It focuses specifically on the UAV issue
and explores the possibility that airmen will be replaced by unmanned vehicles
in the next twenty years.
On the one hand, UAVs offer distinct advantages over manned aircraft. UAVs will
save lives and money. UAVs are not constrained by the physiological limits of
the human operator. In addition, they eliminate tough political situations that
arise when airmen are shot down over unfriendly territory.
On the other hand, even with advanced unmanned technology, airmen still provide
the Air Force with the indispensable qualities of flexibility and adaptability.
These qualities, fueled by initiative and experience, are absolutely necessary
to deal with the friction inherent in war.
Rapid advances in technology will produce man-in-the-loop and autonomous UAVs
that will serve as force multipliers. Man-in-the-loop systems are vulnerable to
communications jamming while autonomous systems do not provide the flexibility
required or present a moral dilemma. Manned combat aircraft will be required to
deal with uncertainty and chaos. UAVs will increase the requirements for highly
trained airmen.
The Air Force must exploit the advantages offered by the UAV. UAVs will play a
significant role in future operations. However, as a warfighting institution,
the Air Force must not forget the significant contribution of the human
operator. The UAV is a force multiplier and nothing more. This technology will
augment, not replace, the human operator. Airmen are critical to the
functioning of the Air Force and they will continue to be well into the next
century. To maintain the asymmetric advantage that air power gives our nation,
skilled, cunning operators will be required to handle the uncertainty of war.
Material for this effort was gathered through the Air University Library, the
ACSC curriculum, and interviews.