“Does more altitude buy you survivability, or does persistence provide a radical improvement in the ability to collect intelligence?” says Lt. Gen. Larry James, the Air Force’s deputy chief of staff and former director of signals intelligence for the National Reconnaissance Office. “I don’t think we know the answer.”and...
“We may be able to penetrate, but not stay long,” James predicts. “There may be other systems that can stay on in the area [that include space and cyber tools]. Or maybe I improve my sensors so that I can standoff outside the threat. I don’t necessarily think all of those things need to be combined in one platform. I’d say we’re at the early stages of looking at new technologies like hypersonics for ISR platforms, [but] the technology is not there yet.”Interesting. The European Union and China are jumping on the UAV bandwagon in a big way. It appears that the USAF is losing interest.
That's what happens when you pull your head out of COIN operations and start thinking about warfare against technologically capable foes.
When it comes to operations over long distances with the threat of enemy aircraft on the other end of the journey, common sense tells you that they just won't survive. Additionally the loss rate for these aircraft in even non-hostile environments should be telling. They won't cut it in the Pacific.
Hopefully our competitors will keep churning along on this dead end for a while longer. It'll help us get even further ahead on tech that will work. Besides, the truth of the matter is this. UAVs are a tactical, not strategic tool and should be left to the ground forces.
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