I have a few questions that you might answer.
1. If the AF is “politically jousting”, do they not run the risk of the Pentagon, driven by the bean counters, pushing up and expanding, the various UCAV programs?
2. I read that the cost of the F-22 would drop to about 90 mil., if the orders were in the 250-300 range. Any truth to that?
3. I hear the AF is testing at Nellis, and the Army, in Ca. and KY, expanding the remote flying programs. Specifically, that the AF is using 4 NCO’s supervised by a single flight qualified O-4, and the Army is using 2, supervised by a single CW3, to “fly” UCAV’s. Can this be true?
Thanks
“1. If the AF is “politically jousting”, do they not run the risk of the Pentagon, driven by the bean counters, pushing up and expanding, the various UCAV programs?”
IMO this is a response to those bean counters who are already challenging the need for manned fighters.
What is the Pentagon composed of? Its compoed of officers from each of the branches. While it is political it is no more so than the various branches of the armed forces when it comes to these kinds of acquisitions.