| The Future of the Top Gun Fighter Pilot is almost | | | | the future Fighter Aircraft without humans will be |
| over and indeed their days are numbered. This will | | | | able to do the same and therefore complete |
| be the last generation of human fighter pilots due | | | | nearly impossible maneuvers by today's standards. |
| to the rapidly advancing artificial intelligence and | | | | The current predictions and UAV Unmanned Aerial |
| unmanned aerial vehicle technologies. Soon airliners | | | | Vehicle Roadmaps of the United States Air Force |
| will fly themselves just like light-rail systems only | | | | and United States Navy are calling for increased |
| without the tracks. The cost savings to build | | | | use of robotic aircraft and huge decreases in |
| aircraft without cockpits and human systems for | | | | human piloted aircraft. Both cost and technology |
| control will save hundreds of thousands of dollars | | | | are driving this progression, but also driving this |
| or even millions in some cases. But this is not the | | | | solution is the competition or potential adversaries. |
| only reason. | | | | For our fighter aircraft to be more competitive |
| Consider if you will the cost of the military to | | | | and continue to dominate the skies removing the |
| recruit, train, house, feed a human fighter pilot. | | | | weakest link, the human pilot makes a lot of |
| Think about the loss if you lose them in battle, | | | | sense much to the chagrin of pilots like my Dad |
| not only have you lost a 50 million dollar or more | | | | who did 250 combat missions in Vietnam in an US |
| aircraft, you have lost all your return on | | | | Navy A-4. |
| investment in training too. Indeed human pilots | | | | I hope you will enjoy this intellectual thought and |
| also have limits that future artificial intelligent | | | | concept. Maybe you will find it mindful and thought |
| unmanned aerial vehicles will not have. Humans | | | | provoking, as this is its intended purpose. Perhaps |
| cannot withstand much more than 8'Gs and we | | | | this article is of interest to propel thought? |
| have missiles that can handle over 18'Gs now. In | | | | |