[CodeToad]

For the number of actual strikes any F-35 may ever partake, drones can supply as much precision and far less cost.

[Mariner]

"For the number of actual strikes any F-35 may ever partake, drones can supply as much precision and far less cost."

I heartily agree.

Seems there's a political dimension to the design of aircraft and a decided bias toward manned aircraft with discernment and feelings.

That said we have expendable, precision strike/standoff weapons in the Tomahawk cruise missile fired from ships, subs and ground.

[fini]

"For the number of actual strikes any F-35 may ever partake, drones can supply as much precision and far less cost."

Concur. I was reading somewhere, that this will be the last manned fighter/bomber. It takes a long time to build an aircraft this complex and the time to train pilots is a long time. Flight school is just the beginning for pilot competence.

[rdcbn]

For the number of actual strikes any F-35 may ever partake, drones can supply as much precision and far less cost.

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Reliance on remote control drones can have it’s downsides, as we learned with the LMCO RQ-170 drone the Iranians hijacked.