Security News > 2024 > March > Drones and the US Air Force

Fascinating analysis of the use of drones on a modern battlefield-that is, Ukraine-and the inability of the US Air Force to react to this change.

The Air Force is planning to buy 1,763 of the aircraft, which will remain in service through the year 2070.

These jets, which are wholly unsuited for countering proliferated low-cost enemy drones in the air littoral, present enormous opportunity costs for the service as a whole.

The delivered cost of a single F-35A is around $130 million, but buying and operating that plane throughout its lifecycle will cost at least $460 million.

Ironically, the first service to respond decisively to the new contestation of the air littoral has been the U.S. Army.

The Army also decided to retire its aging Shadow and Raven legacy drones, whose declining survivability and capabilities have rendered them obsolete, and announced a new rapid buy of 600 Coyote counter-drone drones in order to help protect its troops.

News URL

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2024/03/drones-and-the-us-air-force.html