Drones made fighter jets and pilot training obsolete twenty years ago. The Pentagon just would not believe it.
Drones only go so far. B-52’s. They’re at Beale AFB, Ca. The range is classified. Yokota AB in Japan is there for a reason. I think they could go there and back with the KC-135’s help.
Drones would have to be prepositioned. Which allies are gonna flake out when the heat is on? I don’t think Poland and the Baltic are amongst them. I say give a few to Ukraine and let them do their unfinished business with Belarus.
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have limitations that these militaries don't want to share, including connectivity. What no one also wants to share is how frequently military aircraft fly Partially Mission Capable (PMC) whereas UAVs require being Fully Mission Capable (FMC) or very close to it.
...and coders will never beat a skilled pilot with critical decision-making skills.
