A Navy Aircraft Carrier Strike Group is an operational formation composed of an aircraft carrier, at least one cruiser, a destroyer squadron of at least two destroyers or frigate.
The Air Force will be able to have less risk for the manned fighter planes while still have targets destroyed by large drone planes armed with missile and bombs.
The new large drones that fly at the same speed as manned fighters and bombers are already flying. Billions of dollars are being spent on procurement of more of these large, fast and deadly drones. The US Air Force plan is have 1000 of them to go with about 200 regular manned fighters and bombers by about 2030-2035. However, procurement of large drones will increase from a dozen, to dozens and then hundreds.
This is the near future of US Air Force air combat.
Two alternative autonomous AI systems have been installed in a General Dynamics X-62 VISTA at the Air Force Test Pilot School. The two systems flew the aircraft in turn, on 9 December 2022. By 16 December 2022 the X-62 Vista had flown eight sorties using ACE, and six sorties using AACO, at a rate of two sorties per day. This shows that existing older manned fighters can be converted into wingman drones.
In 2022 Heather Penney (Mitchell Institute Think Tank, X-Lockheed) identified five key elements for the proactive development of autonomous CCA (Collaborative combat aircraft), remote pilots of UAVs and pilots flying separately by in manned aircraft (also called crewed-uncrewed teaming, or manned-unmanned teaming).
1. Create concepts that will maximize the strengths of both CCA and piloted aircraft working as a team.
2. Include operators in CCA development to ensure they understand how they will perform in the battlespace.
3. Warfighters must be able to depend on CCA autonomy.
4. Warfighters must have assured control over CCA in highly dynamic operations.
5. Human workloads must be manageable.
A typical CCA (wingman drone) is estimated to cost between one-half and one-quarter as much as an $80 million F-35. US Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall is aiming for an initial fleet of 1,000 CCA. This would be a $20 to $40 billion fleet of robotic fighters.
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
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What the hay, is that a Polish AF logo in the picture?