This innovative title covers Unmanned Combat Air Systems and the future of military operations.

Table of Contents

• List of Acronyms and Abbreviations
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Research Interviews
• Interviewee background and experience
• Analysis
• NEC and requirement to enter the close-combat fight
• Third-Party Targeting
• UCAS airframe characteristics and manoeuvrability requirements
• Ethical and political implications
• Is the manned fighter necessary and could UCAS gain control of the air in 2040?
• Summary
• 3 Overview
• UCAS background
• Future threat environment
• Technologies
• Aerial warfare
• US UAS roadmaps
• Autonomy or automation?
• The one-seat versus two-seat debate
• Potential cost benefits
• Leadership challenges
• The UCAS debate
• Concept of operations
• Summary
• 4 Unmanned Combat Air Systems: Technical and Legal Challenges
• UCAS developments
• UCAS technological challenges
• Future weapon systems and autonomy capabilities
• Autonomy
• TDL
• AAR
• Weapon systems and sensors
• Countermeasures
• The LOAC and employment of UCAS
• The LOAC
• Summary
• 5 The Role of Air and Space Power and Control of the Air
• Control of the air
• The counter-air campaign
• Summary
• Components of the counter-air campaign
• Basing
• Stealth
• Counters to stealth
• Weapon systems, sensors and enablers
• Electronic warfare
• Cyber warfare
• Command and control
• Network enabled capability
• Integrated air defence system
• Situational awareness
• Historical analysis of situational awareness
• AAM development
• Western AAM development
• Russian and Chinese AAM development
• 6 The Evolution of Air-to-Air Warfare
• AAS kill probability
• Historical analysis of air-to-air kills
• Modern air-to-air combat philosophy
• Future air-to-air scenario
• UCAS CONOPS
• 7 International Relations and Future Threats
• Introduction
• China
• China's strategic priorities
• Economic development
• String of pearls, SLOC and the South China Sea
• China's military build-up
• The First and Second Island Chains
• Taiwan and the South China Sea
• Summary
• China's A2/AD doctrine
• Counters to China's A2/AD doctrine
• China's ASBM development
• Summary
• 8 Conclusion
• Bibliography
• Responders to Questionnaire
• Military
• Aviation Analysts
• Civilians
• Chatham House Rule
• Archive References
• Freedom of Information Requests
• Personal Correspondence and Serendipitous Research
• Transcripts
• Books
• Electronic Books
• Journals
• Electronic Journals
• Dissertations and Theses
• Official Publications
• Newspaper and Periodical Articles
• Electronic Newspaper and Periodical Articles
• Websites