The Air Force’s latest super stealthy drone is apparently no match for your average photo sensor. There are now two publicly available images of what The Aviationist says is likely a massive Northrop Grumman RQ-180 or a Lockheed Martin P-175 Polecat surveillance drone that may be in regular service for the Air Force in military hot spots. The publication published side-by-side images of the mystery aircraft, one taken by Michael Fugit a few days ago in the Philippines and one taken near Edwards Air Force Base last fall by Rob Kolinsky.
The general who announced that US Military boots had left Kabul airport used an interesting phrasing, to the effect that all crewed assets were now leaving Afghan airspace.
(The US and Allies had eavesdropping KC-135s with interpreters aboard, and communication links to ground forces, but also UAVs.)
What alternative would you advise? Putting actual aircrews at risk, at a much, much higher price, both in terms of human lives and taxpayer dollars? Or perhaps we should just ignore everything, turn our backs on our allies, and learn Chinese?