Can ATC assign an airway if filed direct?

Andrew Sarangan wrote (in a response to Roy Smith):

I am not following the argument. If you filed direct using /G (or ADF
or something else), and you lose comm, just continue flying direct to
your cleared destination. Why would you have to switch to airways if
you lose comm?

Where you're likely to have to switch to airways isn't lost comm, it's lost
radar. If ATC can't see you, they need to have you and your fellow travellers
all marching in lockstep over defined reporting points, hence airways.

Dave
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