The mantra during F-15 design was “not one pound for air to ground”. The result of this focus on air combat with no compromise is the only fighter plane in history never defeated in air combat. The F-22 could have been the next fighter to do this. So we dump it for a tri-service turd.
That is true until the Air Force grew tired of the bland single mission concept and developed the F-15E Mud Hen.
They’ve been itching to kill the A-10 because it’s ONLY a single mission aircraft (at one point a CAS variant of the F-16 was tested)
http://www.f-16.net/f-16_versions_article18.html
And these same morons later dictated that the F-22 had to be able to carry bombs
That is my point. The B-52 is still in service because any attempt to replace it would look much like it. A world class long range flying dump truck. The F-22 has the single mission focus.
A Suburban is like a multi role fighter bomber. It can haul lots of stuff, go off road, stomp through snow and tow trailers.
On a road race track a Corvette will kick it's ass. The F-35 is a Suburban. The F-22 is the Corvette.