Advocating for drones instead of fighter jets
Elon Musk discussed future military aircraft on a social media post. He claimed that it was easy to shoot down fighter planes, including stealth fighters. He cited the state of war in Ukraine as evidence. Musk shared a video of a coordinated swarm of drones. The caption was: “Some idiots still build manned fighter planes like the F-35.”
This is not the first time Musk has criticized manned fighter jets. A similar discussion took place in 2020 as well. He claimed that the era of fighter jets is over and the F-35s must be replaced by remotely controlled fighter planes. However, Musk’s point of view differs from the reality of the battle, but this does not mean that his words are baseless.
Arguments against fighter aircraft
The argument that fighter aircraft are not necessary for war was first made during the Cold War by those who believed that America should get rid of its strategic bomber fleet. Experts today say drones and other new capabilities increase the complexity of modern warfare, but they are no substitute for capabilities drawn from reserve forces that ensure limited control of the skies during war.
Experts say unmanned platforms powered by artificial intelligence (AI) are an attractive option, but they have no history of success on the battlefield and are unlikely to do so in the near future. The US Air Force cannot put its entire future on the line. Manned aircraft like the F-35 offer versatility that drones cannot yet do.
Drones cannot replace combat aircraft
Experts agree that while drones will complement manned aircraft, they cannot completely replace them in near-future warfare scenarios, especially against advanced adversaries such as Russia or China. However, these matters should not be viewed as opposition to technological changes, but rather a reality that must be taken into account as a military planner. You can’t simply get rid of legacy systems and platforms. Their preservation should incorporate new technologies.
