Israel pays for additional F-35s

[mixelflick]

I thought F-15EX used upgraded actuators compared to previous F-15E, to maybe meet FCS work. F-15I to F-15IA sounds like a radical SLEP of wings and wiring.

This is a fair point.

Are the Israeli's really talking about buying new F-15EX's, or just juicing up their F-15I to an IA standard? I'd think with a warm production line, buying brand new would be more logical... but I guess it depends what they need it for.

[spazsinbad]

OLD news with detail I don't recall seeing (testing bit).

Israel Plans Conformal Tanks for ADIR
Jun 2019 Combat Aircraft

"ISRAEL AEROSPACE INDUSTRIES (IAI) and Elbit Systems are reportedly developing auxiliary fuel tanks for the Israeli Air Force's (IAF's) F-35I Adir fighters. The former company [IAI] is developing conformal tanks that will have minimal effects on the fighter's stealth capabilities. Elbit is separately developing a 425-gallon (1,609-liter) underwing external fuel tank. Testing is scheduled to begin after a dedicated F-35 test aircraft is delivered to the IAF in 2020."

Source: COMBAT Aircraft Magazine June 2019 Volume 20 Number 6

[fang]

The IAF recieved today green light to order another 25 Adir's (F-35i) + 4 new KC-46A + munitions.
https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/israel- ... 2021-02-16

No decision yet about replacing the aging CH-53 with CH-53K or CH-47 and ordering 25 new F-15EX (the Israeli marking is F-15IA)
Thus will bring the Israeli F-35i inventory to 75 (3 squadrons)

[Corsair1963]

About time....

[doge]

Israel flies F-35 against the Tor-M1 air defense missile system. @0:35~ (!?)
http://alert5.com/2021/04/08/cyprus-tor ... and-f-35s/

Cyprus Tor M1 in joint training with Israeli F-15s and F-35s
Posted on April 8, 2021
The Cyprus National Guard carried out a joint training exercise with Israel on Apr. 5-6. Exercise ONISILOS GEDEON 2021 involves the Tor M1 air defense missile system and Israeli F-15s and F-35s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pgFOiRQ56DQ

[doge]

Israeli style cleaning.
https://www.iaf.org.il/9325-52835-he/IAF.aspx (Language is Hebrew. Use Google Translate.)

In honor of Passover: How do you clean a plane?
Published on 30.03.2021 Noa Schnebron
With the advent of Passover, many of us are in the midst of meticulous cleansing. But in the Air Force, cleanliness takes on a different meaning when it comes to the aircraft it operates and the "mighty" plane in particular. So how do you clean a plane? This is how it is done in the Air Force
Passover has arrived, and as every year comes with it the cleanliness, which does not miss the various units in the Air Force. The corps' bases all over the country worked hard to ensure that they were clean and tidy for the holiday. But what about the corps' aircraft? Have you ever wondered what it must be like to clean a plane? In honor of the holiday, we went out to check out how the technical lineup does it.

With us it is different
If you asked yourself why planes should be cleaned at all, Major Eddie, the technical officer of Squadron 116 ("Southern Lions") that operates the "mighty" plane (F-35I), has the answer: "You have to make sure the plane is clean of That visibility is of great importance. When our planes are clean and well maintained - the end result looks accordingly, it affects the entire squadron. "Apart from that, there are lenses and cameras that can impair the quality of the image they provide if they are not cleaned properly."
Most planes are cleaned every few weeks, the frequency varies from plane to plane among other things depending on its size. The Lightning (F-16) is easier to clean because it is relatively small, than the Samson (Super Hercules C-130J), which is much larger. "There are troops in the world that use a giant washing machine for airplanes," explains Major Eddie. This is not the case with us - the Israeli Air Force cleans manually with a special soap. "

Without a flaw
The challenge involved in cleaning aircraft is even greater when it comes to the "mighty" aircraft. "We clean the plane once every three months or so, and each time the process takes two days," explains Major Eddie. "Three soldiers from the technical system must be assigned for this, along with a counter that accompanies and supervises them. "Every time the plane goes through the cleaning process, it is completely disabled."
One of the most important features of the "mighty" is its evasiveness - for a special coating plane thanks to which it is not visible in the enemy's radar (reveals direction and distance). "Damage the plane - that's why the technicians wear galoshes and are very careful when cleaning."
The process of cleaning the "mighty" plane is complex and requires maximum precision. "The responsibility that rests on our shoulders is very great. It's enough for someone to forget to take off one of the covers that stick on the plane while cleaning - and the results can be devastating," Major Eddie describes. List one by one and make sure we really remove them all. "

Once every 3 months ! (Looong.) WoW
I had assumed that the wash cleaning cycle would be shorter than that.
To me, the interval seems quite long. (Have leeway.)

[doge]

FS21.
https://www.iaf.org.il/9333-53167-en/IAF.aspx

Inside "Falcon Strike" 2021
Release date 09.06.2021 Yasmin Dror, Italy
As you're reading this, the IAF is taking part in the "Falcon Strike" international exercise in Italy. The maintenance division, which supports the participating aircrews, is required to operate with utmost professionalism and creativity - how are teleprocessing systems set up on a foreign base? And how do the technical departments operate in a first-of-a-kind deployment? Find out in the following article
Earlier this week, the "Falcon Strike" international exercise commenced at Amendola Airbase in Italy, with the participation of the Italian, United States, British, and Israeli Air Forces. Upon arrival, the IAF's assigned area on base looked like a typical squadron. The aircrews, C4I personnel, and technical teams all seemed as though they'd been operating out of Italy for years. The transition to a foreign base was remarkably smooth thanks to the long and comprehensive preparations by the maintenance division, which prepared the "Adir" (F-35I) division for its first-ever overseas deployment.

Groundbreaking
Preparations for the exercise, which had been postponed twice due to COVID-19, began over a year ago. Since this is the first time that the "Adir" division is participating in an international exercise beyond Israel's borders, the participants had to form many of the deployment capabilities from scratch. One of the more notable aspects of the deployment is the C4I communication and cyber defense department. The importance of C4I is clear but its significance is magnified when the "Adir" (F-35I) fighter jet is involved. "The F-35I has technological capabilities that do not exist in fourth-generation aircraft", said Lt. Shlomi, an Officer in the "Marom Adir" program. "As the software becomes more advanced, so does the potential for issues - this is why, unlike other squadrons, the 'Adir' squadrons have their own C4I departments. The advanced systems are an integral part of the aircraft, which makes our work a critical aspect of the squadrons, even during overseas deployments".
The department's work began in Israel before the jets took off for Italy, and one of the main challenges of their preparations is the fact that this is the first-ever deployment of its kind. A team of ten soldiers from the department joined the exercise to ensure the smooth operation in a different country. "Despite the extensive preparations, we need to make sure that no issues arise throughout the exercise", shared Lt. Shlomi. "This is the first time the soldiers that process the aircraft's information have left the country - we had to figure out how to transport them safely".

In other IAF aircraft, technical departments are the responsible body for fixing teleprocessing malfunctions - ranging from grade A technicians to the IAF's "Ofek 324" technological unit, according to the severity of the issue. The "Adir", however, is an exception - due to its innovative technology, teleprocessing departments in the F-35I squadrons receive the important task. To do so, they must familiarize themselves with the aircraft from A to Z. "The fact that only we know how to handle certain malfunctions makes the expertise of our soldiers even more crucial. It was important for us to select the most qualified personnel for this exercise", emphasizes Lt. Shlomi. "It is sometimes hard to value the important work of the teleprocessing department, since it's not visual like the work of technicians. However, those who understand how the aircraft's systems operate know just how much our work is crucial for the success of the mission. Upon landing in Italy for the exercise, we managed to create a framework that provided a solution to connectivity between aircraft, a breakthrough for future exercises".

Ready for Any Mission
As said, this exercise marks the first-ever overseas deployment of IAF "Adir" fighter jets. But there's another element that makes this exercise unique for the force - this is the first international exercise where the IAF's two F-35I squadrons will train together as one division. "In Israel, we work together consistently and help each other as much as possible", explains Capt. Liron, the IAF's head maintenance officer in the exercise from the 140th ("Golden Eagle") Squadron. "But here, as part of this exercise, we drill closer joint activity - soldiers from both squadrons work together alongside different officers and commanders, something they're not used to. There's also a social aspect - all of the squadron's ranks share one common area which isn't routine. Everyone is highly motivated and there's a positive atmosphere since we know we are taking part in a historic event. I personally feel proud to be here. We all work in cooperation to allow for an optimal exercise and guarantee the success of the mission".

While the men and women of the technical division had to adapt to new protocols of deploying to an ally base, there was no arguments regarding their ability to perform the mission. "We ensure aircraft are ready to fly. That is our mission. We train constantly and remain fully prepared at all times", concludes Capt. Liron. "We prepare the aircraft to the best extent possible - whether it's for a training flight, operational activity, or international exercise. There are things that we are doing here for the first time, but more in terms of manpower - we ensured that all of our personnel are extremely qualified. Our teleprocessing teams did an amazing job in building infrastructure that simulates almost precisely our process back home, and the Italians are constantly helping us and have been incredible so far".

https://www.iaf.org.il/9333-53172-en/IAF.aspx

A Look at Falcon Strike 2021
Release date 13.06.2021 Yasmin Dror
One of the ways the IAF learns and improves is through international exercises that expose its personnel to other air forces around the world. Our reporter joined the "Adir" (F-35I) division's first-ever overseas deployment to an exercise with its counterparts from four other countries
As a reporter for the Israeli Air Force, joining a deployment to an international exercise is a truly unforgettable experience. Touching down in Italy on the Re'em (Boeing 707), seeing how the IAF deploys and trains in a foreign country alongside other air forces and knowing that I'm part of that same air force - is a feeling that is tough to describe. When we got to the hangars at Amendola Airbase in Italy, technical department personnel were preparing the aircraft for their next sortie. It suddenly hit me - these weren't just ordinary briefings or preparations, it was real - Israeli F-35Is, maintained by Israeli personnel and flown by Israeli pilots, here in Italian airspace for the first time.

Making History
As the first international exercise for the "Adir" Division, its main purposes are to enhance operational readiness and expand the IAF's capabilities. In addition to the training exercise and the scenarios being drilled, the overseas deployment process itself was an important aspect of the event. The deployment required comprehensive planning including very long flights with refueling, and the ability to operate out of a foreign base. "This exercise is something that we've been working on for a while", said Lt. Col. N, Commander of the 116th ("Lions of the South") Squadron and commander of the deployment. "To make all of this possible, we had to lead new innovative processes in the IAF, experiment, and create systems that were not yet in place".
The emotions of the participating personnel ranged from "business as usual" to the excitement of taking part in such a historic event. On the one hand, these are highly professional personnel, who prove time and again that they can operate anywhere at any time - from operation "Guardian of the Walls" just a month ago, to an international exercise at a foreign base. On the other hand, it is hard to miss the sense of pride among the Israeli delegation who know that their preparation and determination paid off.
The exercise is an excellent opportunity for IAF pilots to fly in unfamiliar environments while drilling scenarios such as defense missions, air-to-air combat, aerial strikes, countering surface-to-air (SAM) missile battery threats, air support to ground forces, and more. "We are conducting a wide range of complex exercises that we aren't always able to drill in Israel", explained Maj. G, Deputy Commander of the 116th Squadron.

Mutual Learning
Another important aspect of the exercise is the shared learning and strengthening of the Israeli Air Force's relationships with other air forces around the world that operate fifth-generation aircraft. "The fact that we fly together, plan and debrief together, helps us learn from one another. The exercise is an excellent opportunity to learn about the way in which other air forces operate F-35 aircraft", described Maj. G.
"Every country comes to the exercise with its own unique capabilities, with the hope to learn from others and improve. "The exercise strengthens partnerships. We all get together in one place, figure out how to work together, with our tactics that are slightly different between all of our countries and learn to talk a common language. If we ever have to team up and work together - we will be able to handle things because we've worked together before", said Capt. Mac Onorato, an F-35 pilot from the USAF.
The 120th ("Desert Giants") Squadron, which operates the Re'em (Boeing 707) tanker, also participated in the exercise. The squadron's main task is aerial refueling, which allows the IAF to fly very long distances and stay airborne for extended periods. Though this squadron is no stranger to overseas flights, every joint exercise with other forces is an opportunity for quality training and development. "The fact that we are fueling aircraft from other air forces makes the exercise even more meaningful - the basic elements of the refueling process are the same, but we can learn a lot from the joint briefings and debriefings".
"Prior to taking off toward Italy, we practiced our English and expanded our vocabulary and professional terminology," concludes Lt. Col. N. "The American and Italian doctrine is different from our own, and we face very different challenges. We can learn a lot about what we have in common, however, which is the aircraft itself - how to operate the platform in the best way possible and how to apply it to our operational region. "

[doge]

Israeli F-35I emits flare. (pompompompompompompompompompom )
Short video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgSDkrQOxDc
Super long video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmBG5YmfLi8 (@1:58:00~)

[doge]

I forgot to post this photo.
It is a rare F-35 equipped with a missile on only one side.

[zerion]

Long article best read at source.

Israel Wants To Put New Equipment Inside The F-35: Exclusive Q&A With Top Officer

The goal, said Brig. Gen. Nir Barkan, Israeli Air Force Chief of the Air Staff and Vice Commander of the IAF, is to add Israeli-made gear inside the F-35

TEL AVIV: Israel’s air force has asked the US to allow greater access to the core avionics of the F-35 joint strike fighters, with the goal of installing new Israeli-developed systems onto the stealth fighter, according to a top Israeli officer.

“The effort is to find the right balance between the US restrictions and the Israeli operational demands,” Brig. Gen. Nir Barkan, Israeli Air Force Chief of the Air Staff and the number two officer for the IAF, said in an exclusive interview with Breaking Defense.

Barkan, who is in charge of building the future capabilities of the IAF, said that a special F-35 test aircraft has been used extensively to test more Israeli made systems on the stealth jet.

While he would not go into details about what Israeli-made technologies the IAF would want to add to the F-35, sources here say they include a new electronic warfare system, a new communication system that will allow a two-way flow of real time data, and the addition of highly-classified weapon systems to be loaded into the weapons bay when operating stealthily...

https://breakingdefense.com/2021/09/isr ... p-officer/

[spad_s.xiii]

The Israelis have always been a little bit doubtful about the F-35s EW capability, so it's maybe no surprise that they want to upgrade it, but I think it's more surprising that they want to install their own "communication system that will allow a two-way flow of real time data". I guess it has more to do with integration with the rest of IDF, than that they are disappointed with MADL?

From Aviation Week & Space Technology, Aug 6 issue, 2012: "We think the stealth protection will be good for 5-10 years, but the aircraft will be in service for 30-40 years, so we need EW capabilities [on the F-35] that can be rapidly improved".
Stealth protection to be good for only 5-10 years was maybe a litte bit pessimistic...

They have apparently not changed their mind. But I doubt that is enough just to upgrade software, if they want 360 jamming with a broader bandwith. An external pod, maybe?

[spazsinbad]

The AvWeak story is from 2012 while in the meantime the EW suite by all accounts has been upgraded & will be upgraded.

ELECTRIFYING AGREEMENT
[size=85]06 Aug 2012 David Eshel & David Fulghum[/size

"A deal for Israeli EW on JSFs follows affordability and capability debates

"The rules will be changed somewhat to allow Israel to make fast, regional-specific changes to the F-35's electronic warfare system. curing the F-35 would add spending to our defense budget, which would have to draw on resources needed for other programs."

A $450 million agreement between Israel and Lockheed Martin to allow Israel's own electronic warfare (EW) equipment on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter paves the way to finalizing an initial 19-jet, $2.75 billion JSF deal between the U.S. and Israel, a cornerstone of Middle East defense cooperation. But it also means much more.

The long-expected accord further highlights the growing acknowledgment of the technological and economical limits of stealth capabilities in aircraft, as well as the need to keep the JSF relevant long past the advent of far more superior radar capabilities.

The F-35's stealth features have been a key reason for buying the JSF, but not the only argument for joining the world's largest-ever defense acquisition. Low radar cross section is a niche capability, and new sensor technology advances can make it less important. China, India and Russia are already finding weaknesses in stealth as they develop it for their own advanced strike aircraft.

"We think the stealth protection will be good for 5-10 years, but the aircraft will be in service for 30-40 years, so we need EW capabilities [on the F-35] that can be rapidly improved," a senior Israeli air force (IAF) official tells Aviation Week. "The basic F-35 design is OK. We can make do with adding integrated software."

Another important aspect of the acquisition is the aircraft's cost. "Israel cannot afford to be in the position of not having the F-35 in its arsenal. With the higher production [runs], the reduction in costs will allow the F-35 to become the replacement for the F-16," the senior official says. Despite the JSF's high price tag, the Israelis want to shed their older aircraft because they are expensive to maintain, despite substantial U.S. aid.

"The additional cost to maintain old aircraft is not part of the U.S. annual military aid," the IAF official explains. "Therefore, any further delay to procuring the F-35 would add spending to
our defense budget, which would have to draw on resources needed for other programs."

The original F-35i agreement announced in 2008 included options for up to 75 aircraft, representing a total of up to $15.2 billion. Israel is considering including the addition of a second squadron in the upcoming multi-year acquisition budget, although the option is being weighed against other Israel Defense Forces priorities. Until this latest agreement was struck, longterm planning remained frozen. But the Israelis were recently told that the flyaway cost of the second F-35 squadron will be lower than the first.

The latest accord will allow Israel to install its own radio and data link systems, as well as other equipment, on the F-35i models it is buying. Originally, stealth data links were an integral part of the F-35 mission system, restricting data communications within F-35 formations, or between F-35 and specialized communication gateway platforms. The Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL), developed by Harris specifically for the F-35, provides a low-observable link that enables communications within F-35 formations and with MADL-equipped command-and-control elements. MADL uses six antennas providing spherical coverage around the aircraft. It use a Ku narrowband waveform em-..."

Source: AVIATION WEEK & SPACE TECHNOLOGY/AUGUST 6, 2012

[spad_s.xiii]

Yes, but the BreakingDefense article is from now and they still want to implement their own EW system, so nothing seems to have changed in that regard.

[XanderCrews]

Israel is big time in avionics. They found a way to keep that industry afloat, and will continue to, said the same back in 2012

[Corsair1963]

Israel Wants To Put New Equipment Inside The F-35: Exclusive Q&A With Top Officer
The goal, said Brig. Gen. Nir Barkan, Israeli Air Force Chief of the Air Staff and Vice Commander of the IAF, is to add Israeli-made gear inside the F-35.

TEL AVIV: Israel’s air force has asked the US to allow greater access to the core avionics of the F-35 joint strike fighters, with the goal of installing new Israeli-developed systems onto the stealth fighter, according to a top Israeli officer.

“The effort is to find the right balance between the US restrictions and the Israeli operational demands,” Brig. Gen. Nir Barkan, Israeli Air Force Chief of the Air Staff and the number two officer for the IAF, said in an exclusive interview with Breaking Defense.

Barkan, who is in charge of building the future capabilities of the IAF, said that a special F-35 test aircraft has been used extensively to test more Israeli made systems on the stealth jet.

While he would not go into details about what Israeli-made technologies the IAF would want to add to the F-35, sources here say they include a new electronic warfare system, a new communication system that will allow a two-way flow of real time data, and the addition of highly-classified weapon systems to be loaded into the weapons bay when operating stealthily.

Israel has a program of record for 50 of the conventional take-off and landing F-35A models. Israeli officials have started that its F-35 fleet has been used in different combat operations in “close and far away arenas,” and the country is known for being more willing to use the jets in combat situations than some other F-35 operators.

Asked to respond to Barkan’s comments, Brandi Schiff, a spokesperson for the F-35 joint program office, said “The F-35 JPO will continue to meet all of Israeli sovereign requirements within the United States Government’s security and release policy, and will strive to balance U.S. restrictions with Israel’s requests.”

Israel is also in discussions with the US about procuring a new tranche of advanced F-15s, with the request having been carried to the White House during Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s August visit to Washington. Asked why Israel needs more F-15s given its large F-35 buy, Barkan noted the F-15s ability to serve as more of a weapons truck compliments the F-35, and that the “special connectivity systems we use” allows the two jets to operate “together very closely.”

During the interview, Barkan also raised concerns about Iran’s ballistic missile program, and gave insight into what a joint Israeli-US response might look like.
IAF photo

Israeli F-35Is in action. (file)

“Recent joint ballistic missiles defense exercises of the US and Israeli air forces may, under certain circumstances, become an operational reality part of the regional plan to defend Israel from ballistic threats,” he said. “The US and Israel are further strengthening their ballistic missile defense capability.”

Barkan says a recent joint exercise between the two countries played out how quickly the US could respond if an Iranian ballistic missile was launched at Israel and intercepted by the country’s missile defenses. In that scenario, it would take roughly 24 hours before the US would land C-17s at Israeli military bases and offload defensive systems — likely to include the THAAD missile defense system, first deployed in Israel in 2019 as part of a joint exercise — and prepare for a potential counter-attack.

The following is a translated, edited, and condensed Q&A from the interview.

After signing contracts for 50 F-35 fighters, what is the reason for seeking a new tranche of advanced F-15s?

We build our aerial force according to a future scenario, based on different assumptions. We try to foresee our operational needs in five to ten years ahead, in such a way that it will answer the potential needs in different fighting arenas. Saying that, we understand that an aerial platform purchased now may be in service in the next 40 to 50 years. But things may change, and therefore when we select a platform we look at its capability to operate with other aerial platforms. We think that the mix of F-35 and advanced F-15 will answer our future requirements and will enable us to trim the capabilities of these two aircraft to changing challenges.

Time and again, the foreign media reports on Israeli armed UAV’s used in different arenas. Officially the IAF never confirmed the use of armed UAV. But surprisingly, last month the IAF announced the formation of a “UAV weapon systems department.” No details were added to the short official announcement. Can you please explain the need for this department?

The vector of an increasing use of UAV’s continues, and that requires certain adaptations. I cannot go into details, but like we continuously enhance the capabilities of our manned platforms, we have to do the same with our UAVs. (Barkan refused to give more details.)

The IAF has been firm from the beginning that it will not perform heavy maintenance of its F-35 outside Israel. Is that still your policy?

Yes. This is our firm decision to perform all levels of the F-35 maintenance in Israel, and we are building this capability in our 22 main maintenance unit.

The IAF has made a decision to purchase up to 8 KC-46A aerial refueling aircraft. This to replace the old 707’s that are currently used. Are you trying to get at least some as early as possible, by getting US Air Force approval to use some of its production slots of this aircraft ?

Yes, we make every effort to shorten the time until we can get these advanced aerial refueling aircraft and gradually phase out the old 707’s.

The IAF has selected the Lockheed Martin CH-53K as the replacement for its old CH-53’s. This, after a fierce competition with the Boeing CH-47, which carries a much lower price tag. What is the basis for this selection?

The selection was made with the Israeli defense forces ground forces command. We made the final decision based on the overall operational requirements, together with operational costs and other factors. I fully support the selection.

The Israeli navy decided to use Seahawk helicopters on its new SAAR 6 corvettes. Is that program moving forward?

These used helicopters that we will get from the U.S will replace the currently used Eurocopter AS-565 helicopters. They will be equipped with systems that will enable them to serve the very big operational needs of the Israeli navy. They will be operational in the coming years. They will enhance the capability of the Israeli navy to get a more detailed picture of its operational arena.

The plan to form an IDF ground-ground missiles unit has been delayed again and again. Has the IAF objected to the plan, assuming that it will affect the IAF’s procurement budget?

We are not against this program. We see a dedicated ground–ground missile unit as a complementary capability that, with the IDF’s high level of operational connectivity, may be very useful.

In recent years, the Israeli Ministry of Defense, with some of the defense industries, are working on laser systems that will be capable of intercepting aerial threats. Does the IAF see such a capability as one that will work in conjunction with systems like Iron Dome and David’s Sling?

This capability will become operational in the five to ten years’ time frame. Some progress that can be considered as “breakthrough” has been made, but I cannot go into details.

In the recent meeting between the Israeli prime minister and the US president, an Israeli request for an extra procurement budget on top of the annual FMF grants was submitted. Is this to replenish the Israeli Air Force stock of munitions that was heavily used in the recent Guardian Of The Walls operation in Gaza?

The IAF’s munitions stocks are at the required levels. In the framework of the IDF’s multiyear “Swing ” growth program, it is clear that while we increase to the number of our aircraft, in parallel, we have to acquire more weapon systems as the rate of locating targets is increasing continuously. This is a routine adaptation and does not stem from a shortage.

The IAF is a heavy user of different types of UAV’s. These unmanned systems perform up to 80% of the total flight hours in the force. Does that mean that manned combat aircraft will be replaced by UAV’s?

In recent years we have transferred different missions from manned to unmanned platforms. But I don’t see a situation where UAV’s will fully replace manned aircraft. Such technology of enabling UAV’s to fully replace manned aircraft is very expensive. The world is looking this way, but I don’t see it happening in the foreseeable future.


https://breakingdefense.com/tag/afa-air ... yber-2021/