Abstract
From the era of dog-fighting biplanes to the age of fly-by-wire, twin-engine fast-jets with stealth technology and satellite-guided weaponry, each iteration of technological advancement has seen its associated RAF aircrew – especially the pilots – construct their ethos in the shadows of those early pioneers. The heritage and heroics of their forebears have been claimed and selectively incorporated in the ethos of each new generation who would apply the increasing utility of air power in combat operations. However, the advent of the Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) in recent years has brought a new dynamic to the aircrew/aircraft nexus, with the former being removed from both the cockpit and the battle space. This article explores some of the ways in which the personal and collective ethos of those who operate the Reaper RPAS is formed now and may be formed in the future.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-20 |
| Number of pages | 20 |
| Journal | Air and Space Power Review |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - 2012 |