Programmer: If you hypothesize losing the satcom link (hard to do, given they are in GEO) that argues for more autonomy for the aircraft, not less.

Currently big UAVs are used in very low threat situations. The cruise speed of a Predator is 75 kts, or about that of a WWII vintage PBY.

Conversely, small UAVs are used in very high threat circumstances, where you would not risk a manned aircraft.

But we are not talking about replacing all manned aircraft missions with UAVs. A Combat UAV and manned aircraft mix makes a lot of sense, with the pilot of the manned aircraft telling the UAVs to cover his 6 and go take out that radar, and so forth. And he will be too busy to fly the other airplanes. But if the USAF is still focused on providing pilots with stick time we won’t ever get there. I don’t even think the Army is so dumb as to make the robot trucks it is working on so to require a pilot.

If I had been asked to bid the new USAF rescue helicopter competition, which the H-47 won, to many people’s distress, I think I would have bid three choppers for each mission. A manned control bird about the size of a Huey and two nearly identical UAV choppers to carry the extraction force and the rescued people. More UAVs could be added depending on the mission. Sneaking in to get a downed aircrew with a big old HH-47 is going to be interesting.