WarNotes | Ep11: The Death of Manned Air Power

2025-12-12

The US Air Force is at a turning point in 21st century warfare and in danger of whistling past the graveyard if they fail to take notice and action on the emerging Revolutions in Military Affairs (RMA). The era of manned combat aircraft is coming to a close. The era of manned bombers with gravity bombs is over. The era of fixed site nuclear missiles is in great peril. The era of hyper-velocity missiles whether high parabola of IRBM/ICBM or Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (FOBS) glide vehicles. If the pilot mafia doesn't do something...

The era of manned combat aircraft is coming to a close.

The era of manned bombers with gravity bombs is over.

The era of fixed site nuclear missiles is in great peril.

The era of hyper-velocity missiles whether high parabola of IRBM/ICBM or Fractional Orbital Bombardment System (FOBS) glide vehicles.

If the pilot mafia doesn't do something about what is coming, the result will be cataclysmic.

The Pentagon will not do the right thing, regretfully.

References:

A Concise History of the U.S. Air Force

Jeffrey J. Smith Tomorrow's Air Force: Tracing the Past, Shaping the Future

Seth J. Frantzman Drone Wars: Pioneers, Killing Machines, Artificial Intelligence, and the Battle for the Future

Paul Scharre Army of None: Autonomous Weapons and the Future of War

David Hambling Swarm Troopers: How Small Drones Will Conquer the World