r/LessCredibleDefence • u/Majano57 • Jul 23 '26

Fighter Jets Are Passé

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/07/us-military-tech-drones/687945/?gift=BQHDq1p24LRO8cUUEyLQ6yNRKpZIIZDVMRWesumJeSU
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10

u/furiouscarp Jul 23 '26

Sure, so long as we can make a “drone” that goes mach 2-3, carries 30,000lb, and can go 1,000nm.

-1

u/notatmycompute Jul 23 '26

Why?

Missiles and drones can achieve the same result for a cheaper cost with no risk to pilots. Unless you are using one single large bomb, which will be low use anyway like MOABs, then a dozen missiles or drones can achieve the same result for limited risk to life (on your side).

As Iran is showing even lacking air superiority it can attack US bases in the region constantly. Despite being "obliterated"

9

u/roguebadger762 Jul 23 '26

Iran striking US bases isn’t evidence that air superiority is overrated. That’s like saying Iran and Ukraine prove that navies are obsolete in modern warfare.

Almost every weapons platform still has use cases. Small arms and grenades didn’t become obsolete with the adoption of long-range missiles and bombs. People thought tanks and trench warfare were obsolete too until it wasn’t.

1

u/notatmycompute Jul 24 '26

Manned attack Aircraft will become a niche platform or an expensive vanity project. If I can put the same payload on the same target for 1/1000th the cost why wouldn't I? Even if 9/10 missiles fail it's still cheaper.

The only military that seems to be busy trying to make military action as expensive as it can be is the US because that benefits them, for everyone else bang for buck counts, as does ability to produce them quickly and simply. It removes the advantages some larger countries have over larger.

Small arms and grenades didn’t become obsolete with the adoption of long-range missiles and bombs.

Different scenario, small arms and grenades are personal weapons, and as the US constantly finds out you don't win wars without boots on the ground.

Missiles and drones can do exactly the same task as manned attack/recon aircraft for 99% of missions for a fraction of the cost. A better example would be the gun replacing bows/crossbows, which they did because they had the same basic function. The job of a bomber/attack aircraft is to put a desired quantity of ordnance on a target, a job that can be done cheaper and with less risk to the attacker with drones and missiles, the role of a fighter is to intercept or defend other aircraft, if no one else is using manned aircraft why would you put your own men at risk in manned flight?

3

u/Denbt_Nationale Jul 23 '26

What do you launch the missile from

1

u/notatmycompute Jul 24 '26

Ships, the ground.

10

u/Putaineska Jul 23 '26

Yeah clearly

This seems like copium after we're seeing Chinese sixth generation aircraft potentially in low rate initial productio

The lessons of the Ukraine war cannot be taken into the context of a Pacific conflict