All the talk is how this is a down in the weeds aircraft, popping up the see or to shoot. And I agree that's how I would likely plan to use it if I had one.
But
It's got a 25,000 ft service ceiling and a rock star optical and electronic sensor suite.
There aint' no shoulder fired SA missile gonna hit it at half that altitude. I'd be curious to see what it sounds and looks like over quiet desert at night at different altitudes.
Can anybody here rightfully tell what a turbo powered small aircraft like this sounds like at different altitudes? Rocky? Jorge? Load Clear?
And a perceived advantage over a UCAV...
You've got your Weapons/Sensors guy on the scopes keeping an eye on the actual mission location, along with everyone he's connected to across the globe. Then you've got the aircraft pilot, orbiting the mission, with his head up and alert for light flashes, reflections, motion, or anything that might signal a change in the tactical situation as it affects the mission ground element.
I would posit that a wary pilots eyes and brain make up the "ultimate sensor" to keep a mission like this aircraft is intended for on track.
Theoretically, you can and might have the cameras on your UCAV to "see" any and all of this. But do you have a dedicated tech crew member to wear the 3D headgear and keep that kind of overwatch? If so, how effective is he without a pilots "right there" perspective?
I'm sure that I don't know everything about drone warfare, but I'd bet money that the pilot with actual eyes over a mission would prevail
