This is actually a far more accurate assessment of an existential threat to the Air Force, which is unmanned vehicles. You could look at the Pershing missle as a huge unmanned Kamikaze plane. Now we have unmanned "U-2's" (I know they aren't actually U-2's). Soon we will likely have unmanned fighters.
The Air Force made a lot of sense when it took a large training and support staff to operate in the air, because people's lives were at risk. Soon a fighter or bomber may just be another piece of expendable equipment. Then less time and care will likely be taken in the training of those pilots, who are increasingly young enlisted soldiers instead of hundreds of hours of flight time Academy officers. When that happens the Air Force will face an existential threat, and it knows it. That is why it is trying to consolidate all high flying UAV's under its command, and that unsuccessfully. It wants to ensure a long term raison d'etre.
Nonetheless, this is the Small Wars Council, and not the Grand Strategy Council. We need to remember that we are currently fighting a very small war, in the scheme of things. Restructuring our entire military around a small war would be very unwise. And, as long as there are aerial threats, the Air Force remains important.
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