By
Theresa Hitchens on May 12, 2021 at 6:05 PM
The Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program envisions different types of drones teamed with a sixth-generation fighter. Northrop Grumman image.
WASHINGTON: Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown says the service is seriously considering building a fighter fleet with more drones than piloted aircraft.
In response to my question during today’s McAleese defense conference about whether he sees the balance of piloted and uninhabited combat aircraft shifting toward drones in the future, Brown said simply: “I do.”
Such a shift in fleet structure is something the service has looked at in its Futures Game, led by Lt. Gen. Clint Hinote, deputy chief for requirements. That war game was held last fall. (Colleague Valerie Insinna detailed the China-focused 2030 scenario last month.)
‘Don’t expect more money’ for additional F-35s in FY22, lawmakers tell an embattled Lockheed 6 hours ago A U.S. Air Force F-35A assigned to the 4th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron prepares to taxi and take off from Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, April 24, 2019. (Staff Sgt. Chris Drzazgowski/U.S. Air Force) WASHINGTON Two influential Democrat lawmakers warned on Thursday that they will not support boosting the number of Lockheed Martin-made F-35 joint strike fighters in the upcoming fiscal 2022 budget unless the program makes headway in addressing a laundry list of problems. “If this program continues to fail to significantly control and reduce actual and projected sustainment costs, we may need to invest in other, more affordable programs and backfill an operational shortfall of potentially over 800 tactical fighters,” said Rep. Donald Norcross, D-N.J., who chairs the House Armed Services Committee’s tactical air and land subcommittee.