Expert: Paul Soderman - 2/26/2006

Question
I've just read an article in a paper that speculates by 2080's most of the british air force would be totally automated, without pilots.
Wouldn't that carry its own dangers though, such as a potential enemy hacking in and taking over the aircraft, or the planes being downed buy weapons designed to disable them en masse, many who develop these weapons say they're the way of the future, but somehow I'd see a totally automated airforce as a very, VERY vunerable one!

Answer
Hi Jordan
One thing I have learned about newspapers and technology is that reporters (or speculators) tend to simplify and exagerate.  I doubt there could ever be a totally automated air force; there are very good reasons to have a decision maker in the air on the scene.  That said, the success of the American drones (Predator, etc.) suggest that ground directed aircraft will become more popular. And they are vulnerable, but the air force would much rather lose a small plane than a pilot.  And the loiter time is potentially unlimited.  Another class of aircraft on the horizon is MAV (micro air vehicles), which are pilotless and can carry out stealth missions not currently possible.  So, it seems likely we will have a large mix of piloted and non-piloted aircraft in the future.
Paul

p.s.  Hacking into an automated system that is probably encrypted is very very difficult.