The 'air side' of future warfare - military aeronautics

The ongoing revolutions in information, biological, energetics and nano technologies are changing the nature and equipment of warfare. This is particularly true in military aeronautics. In the nearer term aircraft are becoming increasingly 'uninhabited' (UCAVs, UAVs etc.) enabled by the IT revolution, with multitudinous accompanying benefits in terms of affordability, survivability, redefinition of 'risk' and lethality. THE issue for such aircraft is enhanced persistence and increased range within the context of the overall system metrics. In the longer term the increasingly capable worldwide 'sensor web' will place at risk all air vehicles, in or out of theatre and whether or not they are 'stealthy'. This, combined with advanced conventional weapons, high energy density material powered EMP (electro-magnetic-pulse) weapons and affordable swarms of 'brilliant' munitions will probably require yet another re-definition of military aeronautics, perhaps as survivable (hardened) hypersonic, global range, boost-glide devices.