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To: oldsalt
You are correct — witness the F-4E.

More importantly, I think the F-22 and the F-35 will be the last single-seat combat aircraft. Technology is advancing quickly, probably much faster than doctrine. Some of the autonomous stuff being developed by Boeing is incredible.

Perhaps it’s time to go back to first principles: the significant mission of the air force is to put bombs on a variety of targets (strategic and tactical, static and dynamic)target and shoot the bad guy’s airplanes out of the sky. What is the most combat effective way to do this, bounded by logistics and support (including R&D, manufacturing capacity, cost, supportability, etc)?

I think the handwriting is on the wall: manned combat aircraft are on the decline. The mission soon will be more effectively and efficiently performed by unmanned aircraft.

Technology happens and upsets the apple cart: cavalry, coastal artillery, navigators, bombadiers, gunners, reconnaissance, etc.

39 posted on 01/11/2008 7:32:52 AM PST by starlifter
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To: starlifter
I think the handwriting is on the wall: manned combat aircraft are on the decline. The mission soon will be more effectively and efficiently performed by unmanned aircraft.

And the replacement program is already well underway. Thus the reluctance to spend huge amounts of money on already near-obsolete Raptors. The F-22 is the USS Missouri/Iowa/Wisconsin/New Jersey of its day - the finest possible example of a dying paradigm.

The next generation of fighter pilots will spend their entire careers at computer consoles in underground bunkers in Nevada.

63 posted on 01/11/2008 8:33:51 AM PST by Mr. Jeeves ("Wise men don't need to debate; men who need to debate are not wise." -- Tao Te Ching)
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