Will tomahawk land attack missiles replace the need for large scale strategic bombing? Will it replace tactical (by aircraft) bombing (with exeption of tatical bombing for ground support)? Will a newer and better version of the SIM-2 surface to air missile replace the need of a large air borne force to protect a no fly zone? In short will missiles in the near future replace the need of but a few aircraft the ones that will be maned; since UAV's seem to be really in style nowadays.? Does this mean that with UAV's and advanced missiles coupled with ever enchancing radar and detecton devices replace the need for a large bomb hauling force of manned fighter jets? Will the future of technology put an evantuall end to manned fighters?

I am going to say no. UAVs may be the hot thing but nothing is going to replace the pilot's quick thinking, overall view of the battlefield, and intuition or shall we say, gut feeling. Missles are, granted, getting smarter and better, but they will not eliminate the need for large airborne attacks. If you've read Red Storm Rising, you can see what I am talking about. You still need bombers to get close, how close is to be determaned by the battlefield commander. In another thread we talked about how B-1s are being used as tactical bombers and stuff like that. on AB (afterburner) they can get from one end of Iraq to the other in half an hour (about). so they hav a very good use as a tactical prespective.

So, in todays world, in a fight against small bands of terrorist groups, tactical is needed. they are (somewhat) unpredictable and you can't have any idea whats going on until an attack begins. and espionag is extremly difficult. Stretegic bombers have better use in all out war (i say that because my definition of all out war is two COUNTRIES not groups, with the exeption of Vietnam.) Stretigic bombers help when you know the situation, can see the enemy's movements, and know what they are through espionag and several other ways.

One word: NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I don't exactly like UAVs.

well, examples, UAVs can be useful in todays world where small bands of militants are fighting. like I said in my last post, espionag is extremely hard against these bands and so the only way to know what they are up to is recon planes. UAVs are cheap and fit in a backpack. However if we were at war with... say, Iran or China or North Korea (not that we would but just throwing it out there) UAVs would be importaint but not as vital as in "gurrilla warfare". If firstsgt_cap were here, he'd be able to give a better answer than me.