Major expansion planned for UAV fleet.

• Author: Erwin, Sandra I.
• Position: DEFENSEINSIDER

The Air Force expects to nearly double the size of its unmanned aircraft fleet over the next several years, said Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz. From a current inventory of 250, the goal is to expand to 450 or possibly more.

Unpiloted aircraft, which the Air Force prefers to call "remotely piloted," are not a fad, he said. "This is here to stay."

Schwartz also confirmed that there are no plans to allow enlisted airmen to operate RPAs. "For the time being, pilots will be officers," he said.

The question of whether only commissioned officers should be in control of surveillance aircraft has been controversial for some time, especially because the Army has been training enlisted soldiers to become operators.

Schwartz framed the issue as one of...