[MB.]

It seems to me that a split has occured in regards to US military tactical thinking: one school of thought is to push forward such projects as the F-22, Joint Strike Fighter, and new Super Carriers (to replace the Nimitz class). Another, seems to be moving towards the unmanned aspect of combat: The X-47 Peaguses a classic example of this. Even in the Navy such unmanned desires are being expressed- some advocate replacing large Super Carriers with numerous smaller carriers, with crews as small as ten men, to service and launch unmanned fighters. I think that this is indeed the future of warfare. Consider, the F-22 project costs billions of dollars to produce, and has shown almost no results. Whereas, for as litte as a hundred thousand dollars it is possilbe to produce small, unmanned aircraft- which cannot admididlty, preform the same manouvers as an F-22, but given the low price tag this doesn't matter. A SWARM of UAVs (unammed airlier vehicles), each carying a single missile, could easily overwelm a smaller number of expansive manned fighters. Couple this with low cost aircraft carriers, capable of launching and recovering UAVs quickly would result in an impressive force.

[Comrade Ogilvy]

I watched a good special about UAV's a few mos. back. I was suprised to learn that the US military has about 60 (I think) unmanned aerial vehicles spread out through the branches. I think an effort has been made to consolidate most of the programs recently. But yes I think your right, for many years now the doctrine of war for americans have been to cause the least amount of lives-lost, by distancing themselves from the actual battle. This want to preserve US soldiers has greatly widened the gap of military balance today as the US military can now wreak incredible havoc with minimal risk of loss-of-life.

[MB.]

The way I see it, the old gaurd military/navy/airforce is going to have to go. 'They' seem fixated on bigger more expensive projects (F-22, super carriers as mentioned above). This is a) a waste of money and b) a waste of man power: 6000 people to run a Nimitz class, thats 60,000 people on all the Nimitz. That's absurd.