So now the Navy will have to relegate pilots to video game junkies, the X-47B will by controlled via the Sony PS3 game controller from mom’s basement.
“So now the Navy will have to relegate pilots to video game junkies”
Yep. Everything being planned out now is designed without a pilot. Bombers don’t need pilots, fighters with 360^2 sensors don’t need pilots, tankers don’t need pilots, etc.
Imagine a fighter that can withstand 45 G turns. No human aircraft, regardless of its capabilities, will ever approach that turn radius. Imagine a fighter than can fire its guns or launch missiles or fire an energy weapon with extreme accuracy at the exact nanosecond needed. No human fighter will match that fire capability.
Imagine a tanker that can orbit on station for 72 hours and do so cheaper than we can today and deliver more gas than currently possible. Imagine a bomber that does the same.
Imagine because there is no human factors required that the cost can come down 50% so we can have more of these aircraft, negating any failure resulting from technological failures where an onboard pilot might have had the chance to correct the issue with loss of the aircraft.
Imagine sending in these aircraft into hostile areas where we might otherwise shy away from using manned aircraft.
Being a pilot is sexy, cool, and exciting, sure, but I want to win wars.