Drone operators outnumber any other type of Air Force pilot

While some might still think of joystick-wielding aviators as the stuff of science fiction, that's no longer the case. A top general told reporters last week that there are now more jobs for drone pilots in the US Air Force than there are for pilots of traditional manned aircraft. Specifically, the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper drones are set to have more than 1,000 pilot operators in the 2017 fiscal year -- that's more than the 889 pilots who fly the troop-transporting C-17, or the 803 flying F-16 fighter jets, according to Military.com.

www.military.com...

a reply to: phatkhat

It's the future , today pilots fly drones tomorrow F16's , no problems with G forces and no risk of loosing you pilot.
VR isn't just for games , it's the future of warfare.

a reply to: gortex

did you write that in reverse???

Drone operators are mostly piloting surveillance craft though. I believe most of the force of action still comes from manned systems.

a reply to: phatkhat

How hard can it be to cut the signal to drones and other remote aircraft? It seems to me that at the very least the incoming signal could be jammed if not taken over by the enemy.

Drone operators are not pilots. They are wannabes.
They are not the same as an IFR rated pilot who flies actual human bodies. If drones costed 20-30 million a piece, pilots would be controlling them. Not computer nerds drinking energy drinks. It takes guts and skill to pull the trigger while controlling an aircraft with a weapons loadout. It does not take guts or skill to play sim games .

The airforce has become the airfarce...

That's the same as saying some pimple covered couch Rambo is the same as a Marine Force Recon....

a reply to: Natas0114

Except that planes like the f35 can control a flight of them.

a reply to: phatkhat

Which is controlled by a human pilot.

a reply to: Natas0114

Yes, so 'air farce' they ain't

a reply to: phatkhat

Right. They're all good, cause they are the only people flying. Get a clue kid, marines are flying F35's. Yes the air farce is too, however the actual fighting forces don't hire children. That's why I call them air farce. The reason they want computer controlled drones is that your generation has grown up playing games, which is non reality. It's easy to kill without guilt or question your orders if it doesn't seem real.
I grew up in the real world. I joined the real Marine Corp. I shot real ammunition that killed real people.
I watched my real freinds get killed for real.
You clowns think computer games are just as good as reality .

What's the value of war?
Why does anyone care when actual people die?

[SNIP]

well, if you add up all the human piloted aircraft, the number seems way smaller. That´s the funky thing about statistics.

a reply to: Natas0114
I think you need to chill down a bit. Jesus.

a reply to: Natas0114

No kid here, and I'm referring to all armed forces and not just one. I see the drones as a great asset being a such a major force multiplier.
This could really enhance search and rescue.

a reply to: verschickter

The number drops even more when you start counting combat sorties. None of which are, or should be flown by anything less than a human.

I can hire kids to cut my grass for cheap. I do it myself because I want it to look nice, and don't want my equipment trashed.

Military aircraft shouldn't be piloted by anyone less than a real pilot. It takes years of physical and mental and social discipline to become a fighter pilot.
It takes nothing to hide behind a computer screen.
That may be good enough for you and your country, but not the one I live for- and fought for.
You chill out as much as you want. I have standards, they won't be lowered by accepting half-assed kids representing my country. Nor will I watch my country's military be disgraced by lowering it's standards so weakling can wear uniforms.
This isn't some half assed liberal stronghold. This is America, we have to baby sit the rest of the world because they can't defend themselves. You will see soon enough how serious it is. Our president is dropping UN funding by 50%. The rest of NATO and un is going to be responsible for covering it's own ass for the first time in 50 years. Will your country be able to support its own defense? Will you hire 20 year Olds to sit and play war games for you defense strategy? Good luck, you just might need it.

a reply to: Natas0114

[SNIP] support putting American lives at risk verses plastic junk.

We use drones because we are the most sophisticated country in the world and others can't to the degree we do, get it right retard. Our citizens fly drones at higher military grade than other entire countries Governments.

We use drones because we value our military lives more than any other nation.

If you're such a blood hound you can't handle the fact we try to minimize loss, you can go just join Al-Qaeda, you're no better.

a reply to: phatkhat

S &R yes, drones are great for that. But as for combat , no. Can you imagine what the defense departments funding would be like if no human life was at stake? No personal accountability is not something we need in our military. We need actual people to make decisions, otherwise our government would be using military resources to further political agaenda here on our own soil. It's seriously bad to eliminate the need for humans with actual decision making minds when it comes to smart weapons.
As for peacekeeping or rescue, yes, I agree with you there.

a reply to: MacK80

How years did you serve? In how many countries?
I got tired of blood years ago. That's why humans need to be behind the stick, or trigger.
Do you really want unnamed unseen agencies pulling out a briefcase to operate a reaper and cause international incidents that start a new war?

[SNIP] Actual people have actual brains that make decisions based on intelligence,. They don't have an execute button that quietly does the bidding.
I fought al-qaeda, you obviously didnt.

a reply to: Natas0114

Pft, whatever 'solider boy'.


True American combat is using their spy network to locate someone, then sending a missile down their chimney from 500 miles away.


If you want to join the Army and get shot in a Desert, that's your own fault.

How many years did I serve? I've profiled over 90% of people that own a television on Earth with cable. The Government would take me over you in a heartbeat. When they need to find someone, they aren't calling you.

a reply to: MacK80

Showing your expertise huh? Military has no access to "spy networks ". Nor do we lob missiles down peo pl less chimneys. FYI I was not a soldier boy in the army- I was Sergeant first class in the 27th Marines.
Please feel free to talk # to my face, you'll look a lot less like a pussy.

I was late my response.

They only called me when they want a .338 round put in someone's head. Or when shtf and people needed cover, or when they needed actual eyes to find out wtf is going on somewhere awful.

But yeah, you can run a search string and compile data and run filters...

originally posted by: Natas0114
a reply to: MacK80

How years did you serve? In how many countries?
I got tired of blood years ago. That's why humans need to be behind the stick, or trigger.
Do you really want unnamed unseen agencies pulling out a briefcase to operate a reaper and cause international incidents that start a new war?

Grow up dumbsh#t, use your head. Actual people have actual brains that make decisions based on intelligence,. They don't have an execute button that quietly does the bidding.
I fought al-qaeda, you obviously didnt.

I take it you're not looking forward to the Robot Wars? You know, the ones using nano-swarms alongside self-driving fighter planes with robots making the decisions. 'Cus some of that is already happening and the transition is accelerating. ...I think it's too late to stop it.

Truth is, geeks controlling war-drones are already obsolete, right along with the human decision-makers.

a reply to: Metallicus

It's not that easy, unless you want to blot out everything, including your own signals. The signals from UAVs are, in most cases, directional SATCOM signals. You'd have to get between the aircraft and the satellite to inject a signal into it.

a reply to: Natas0114

Because muscles mean everything, and there is no way what I do protects your freedom also. The difference is you only get to brag about it like a faggot when you've murdered people with actual bullets. That's not something brag worthy, neither is your physical features when it comes to defending America, we only give a # if you have skills, no one cares how many pullups a meathead can do. I've laid out more people than you without leaving my room, and you threaten that person on the internet with face-to-face talk? k. In your dreams.


And for someone that "Knows so much" you sure are an idiot, my company has directly worked with the Marines specifically as a source of intel, so you do have spy networks, wtf are you talking about, I collect my tax credits every year from it. Dumbass.