Technicians and mechanics from General Atomics move the Predator B, an unmanned surveillance aircraft, from an air hangar at Fort Drum, N.Y., on June 18. (By Heather Ainsworth -- Associated Press)From The Washington Post:
The Air Force will train more pilots to fly unmanned aerial systems from ground operations centers this year than pilots to fly fighter or bomber aircraft, Gen. Stephen R. Lorenz, the commander of Air Education and Training Command, told an audience Friday.
Lorentz's remark illustrates the major transformation occurring within that service. In a Pentagon session last month, Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Will Fraser told reporters that the unmanned systems are "delivering game-changing capabilities today, and ones that I'm confident will continue to be invaluable in the future."
At that July 23 briefing, Air Force officers spelled out the growth of what they call the "ISR [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] transformation" of their service.
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My Comment: This article from the Washington Post details many of the advantages in using uav drones .... but it omits one very important point. Fear of losing one's life is never present when they are used.
Fear is a big inhibitor for a soldier when he is conducting a mission. This limits his capabilities and effectiveness when confronting the enemy. Lets face it .... getting shot at makes you appreciate the value of your life and why you should not lose it.
UAV drones take away this fear. If there is a fear, it is the fear of losing a drone .... but this pales in comparison to the fear of losing one's life.