“The real question shouldn’t be F-22 v. F-35 but why we need fighter pilots in the first place.”
That’s a mistake that’s been made by SecDefs in the past.
Your drones are awesome until somebody hacks them and uses them to destroy your SAMs and bombers.
Meat in the seat - accept no substitute.
There was also a time when horses and mass formations were needed in warfare. Technology made them an unnecessary burden that didn't win wars. I don't have numbers handy, but for each fighter sortie behind enemy lines, dozens of hours of training are spent, thousands of gallons of jet fuel, and dozens of CSAR personnel, early warning monitors and logistics trail people get placed on watch. Take the meat out of the seat and you save lives and money. Hacking is a lesser risk than shoot down. We have a decade and a half of experience that can be used to win the next war and save American lives, I think we should try to do it.