Troop transport may be among the last aviation roles to remove pilots entirely. Vietnam-era experience showed the value of personal ties between helicopter crews and the troops they supported, especially when crews had to accept danger to recover people. Special-forces insertion may justify uncrewed transport in exceptional high-risk cases, but routine troop lift and medevac pose a different trust problem. Automation may fly much of the route, yet passengers and commanders may still want a person at the controls when many friendly lives are at stake.
Notable Point · 1:12:50-1:14:23
Why troop transport may remain crewed longest
Transport and medevac aircraft retain a human role because trust, personal obligation, and judgment matter when many friendly lives depend on the mission.