For decades, senior military leaders and analysts have predicted the demise of manned aircraft.

According to US Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, the end is on the horizon. Last week, he said the F-35 Lightning II would likely be the last manned strike jet for his service and appointed a new boss to oversee the Navy's unmanned air systems.

Unmanned aircraft have proved indispensable for more than a dozen years, in reconnaissance, strike, communications relay and even transport. Yet the ability to fly unfettered and uncontested over Iraq and Afghanistan was a luxury that should be regarded as an exception rather than a rule.

Each so-called unmanned system is either remotely operated or monitored by people and requires secure two-way radio links to be operationally effective. As long as countries like Russia, China and others invest in systems to jam these links, there remains a role for aircraft manned by highly trained crews who can use their intellect, judgment, experience and creativity against the toughest enemy in total radio silence.

In fact, throughout the Cold War, that's how most of the US and allied militaries operated, devoting considerable resources and training to operate without reliable communications links.

The future of military aviation will depend on how well manned and unmanned systems are integrated. It shouldn't be a binary choice, nor should a new organization complicate what must be a seamless integration.

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