Optionally Piloted or Pilot+?

[Horns]

So, armchair fighter guy thinking armchair fighter things here. I'm thinking about this for real-world though, since we already kinda get this benefit in DCS...

As fighter jets have got more expensive, many of them have reduced the crews that operate them from 2 to 1. Good reasons for it, since things like radar management, weapon selection and radio management becoming easier have meant that a good pilot can manage everything on his own, allowing fighters to be built smaller and lighter. Those economies have come at the cost of two hands, two eyes and a brain.

However, we're getting closer to the point where communication will be fast enough to allow all of a pilot's tasks from the ground, allowing a decision to be made about whether a live pilot needs to be sent into harm's way. Of course there are big advantages, one being that you aren't vulnerable to jamming. Those same technologies could allow that pilot to delegate functions to ground-based squadmates, similar to a pilot having a WSO take charge of functions at present.

I'm curious about the potential of assigning a ground-based WSO to assist the pilot in the jet as required. It couldn't be the same contract as when a WSO is in the cockpit, as the person on the spot would have to have the con, but having a second person available to assist the pilot if and when asked seems like a good idea, and a way to maximize returns without imposing the penalties that a second body in a second cockpit would currently. Letting the pilot concentrate on maneuvering while a WSO manages sensors during air combat, or having a WSO watching the FLIR full-time to alert the pilot to the presence of possible manpad launchers while on low level flight ingress to target seem like benefits that would maximize results and minimize risks.

One issue I can see is the increased potential for reach-forward. I'm sure there will be COs who will want to push the button themselves, or who will want a CO pushing the button who's in the room with them, so that they can call off a weapon release at the latest possible moment. However, this is foreseeable enough that one would hope procedures would be developed to navigate most issues like this that might arise.

What do you think, is having ground-based WSOs a lousy idea or does it have merit? Has/Is this being talked about already?

[Dragon1-1]

People are expensive whether they sit in cockpit or not. Automated systems, such as MWS, autopilot and so on are the way militaries are going towards right now. Optionally piloted aircraft mean that the pilot doesn't have to be piloting all the time, and can do WSO's job instead when needed, while still being on hand to control the aircraft.

[Horns]

1 hour ago, Dragon1-1 said:

People are expensive whether they sit in cockpit or not. Automated systems, such as MWS, autopilot and so on are the way militaries are going towards right now. Optionally piloted aircraft mean that the pilot doesn't have to be piloting all the time, and can do WSO's job instead when needed, while still being on hand to control the aircraft.

Gotcha, makes sense, cheers for weighing in