I really don't think Congress is exercising its budgetary oversight correctly if it is approving nearly trillion dollar purchases of manned fighter aircraft to be delivered a decade or more in the future. We're pretty clearly within a transition from manned to unmanned combat aircraft, and given the lack of compelling threats flying top-end fighter aircraft (or fielding top AA defenses), there's no reason we couldn't keep the F-16/F-15/F-18 in service (and whatever F-22s we already purchased) for another 10-20 years, then replace entirely with drones.
Drones aren't just cheaper, they're better. Smaller, higher G loading, less radar cross-section, no need for SAR when one goes down, potential for "in extremis" one-way missions (intentionally sacrificing a $5mm reusable drone to accomplish a mission is often fine), etc. The only thing they don't do is create as many senior officers with flight experience.
(They also don't cost as much money, so to the extent you believe every dollar spent on defense, needed or not, is a dollar stolen from humanity, ...)
Drones aren't just cheaper, they're better. Smaller, higher G loading, less radar cross-section, no need for SAR when one goes down, potential for "in extremis" one-way missions (intentionally sacrificing a $5mm reusable drone to accomplish a mission is often fine), etc. The only thing they don't do is create as many senior officers with flight experience.
(They also don't cost as much money, so to the extent you believe every dollar spent on defense, needed or not, is a dollar stolen from humanity, ...)