a 1.2 billion warcraft should NEVER crash on its own.

How long until UAV warcraft completely replace manned? I believe you could probably build comparable UAV for 1/10th the cost and with proper communication support lose little or nothing. Just think, no need for ejection seats, displays, pressurized cabin, g-force limitations eased considerably, etc. Basically, high bandwidth satelite communications and you're good to go. And losing one doesn't feel like the end of the world and doesn't endanger our pilots.

Hmmm, that is just like our space program and undersea operations. Policy makers need to wake up and smell the AI and teleoperation advances. Interestingly this week, some scientists are claiming human level general AI in a little over a decade will be here.

If we thought the move from farms to cities, and from manufacturing to service sector were big societal changes, what about the move of AI into virtually all mundane jobs (driving cars, gardening, basic service calls over phone, housework, roadwork, ....). I don't really see any politicians with farsight figuring out how to tackle the REAL future. (Most still spout idiotic protectionist rhetoric, not even recognizing protectionism is absurd in a global economy).