What’s the Future for Crewed Aircraft in Combat?
.By Brendan Nicholson
Russia’s war on Ukraine, with its images of helicopters trailing flames, has demonstrated their vulnerability to effective air defences and triggered debate on the future of crewed aircraft sent to penetrate enemy airspace.
Former Australian Army major general Mick Ryan, who has studied the conflict closely since Moscow’s 2014 invasion, says Russia is no longer flying crewed aircraft over Ukraine because of its potent air- and missile-defence regime.
‘I think attack helicopters are very vulnerable and have an uncertain future,’ Ryan says.
‘Crewed fighter aircraft are unlikely to penetrate enemy airspace and complex air-defence regimes in the future. That’s an important conversation to have.’
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2023/02/28/whats_the_future_for_crewed_aircraft_in_combat_884275.html
