It should be noted that humans are controlling MQ-25, aviators too (not the sort the RAF have just incorrectly labelled either). The USN have started training Warrant Officer Air Vehicle Operators (AVOs) who are akin to Weapon Systems Operators (WSOps) in the RAF. They will go through the Officer Candidate School (like OASC for the RAF) and thence onto basic flight training before going to the MQ-25 for advanced training. Like their Naval Aviator and Naval Flight Officer colleagues they will wear wings of gold.
Known as the 737X career pathway, the USN plan to hire and train around 450 personnel. They will control the MQ-25 from the ship and shore.
This is likely where we are all heading as the Pilot, WSO and WSOp type roles are starting to draw closer together as we head towards Protector, Mosquito and Tempest in the RAF. The RN have their own plans for Future Maritime Aviation Force (FMAF) too. The British Army is still fanning around with Watchkeeper and their helo force - but more autonomy with the future VTOL aircraft and the use of things like DARPA’s ALIAS is likely to see current and near future aircraft modified too. Pure Pilot skills will no longer be required as R2D2 can do it far better than Luke Skywalker, but then the young Jedi can command and operate the aircraft’s sensors, weapons and comms far better for now. I foresee that we will have fewer and fewer Pilots and more and more ‘operators’ akin to today’s WSOs and WSOps. Even the Tempest gang are questioning the need for today’s kind of Pilot.
Obviously, the best name for this sort of combined Pilot, WSO and WSOp would have been ‘Aviator’ but sadly someone thought to use it instead
Also, the RN, Army and RAF aren’t the only forces starting to go through this transformation as the USN are already proving.
