| roastpuff | 01-29-2010 02:32 PM |
Quote:
Originally Posted by ericthehalfbee
(Post 6793482)
"Mock" combat? Like that really counts these days. What did they do - put them in a situation that would never happen so one particular aspect of the EF2000 would prevail? In real life the EF2000 would be dead before the pilot even knew there was an F-22 in the area. Nobody dogfights anymore.
I'll simplify it for you: In todays world in any real life situation that would occur, nobody will ever get superiority over the Americans in the air. Or on land or in the sea, for that matter. Those "stupid rednecks" are far beyond anybody else when it comes to military technology.
| What else is going to count? There are no decent opponents for US military anymore that will fight them without the world ending in a nuclear holocaust. So "mock" combat is the best we are going to see in regards to two equally matched opponents going against one another.
The reason the US is so far ahead in military technology is that it spend as much money as the next fifteen highest countries combined in defence funding. No other country/organization even comes close.
Asymmetric warfare means that all that money spent isn't really that useful though. No use having hundred-million dollar airplanes and million-dollar missiles when you can't even identify who you're supposed to be attacking. Quote:
Originally Posted by jlo mein
(Post 6793575)
I'm confused. The US military has full air superiority control over Afghanistan and Iraq thanks to the F-22 and other air/anti-air technology. I'd say its working.
| In Iraq and Afghanistan, they didn't even face any *real* air to air challenges. Total overkill against the old 2nd/3rd generation fighters that they had - not even mentioning the "pilots" that the Iraqi air force fielded.
From Wiki: Quote:
On the brink of the US led invasion in 2003, Saddam Hussein disregarded his Air Force's wishes to defend the country's airspace against U.S. aircraft and ordered the bulk of his fighters disassembled or buried. Air Vice Marshal Abed Hamed Mowhoush was apparently the air force commander immediately prior to the war. Some were later found by US excavation forces around the Al Taqqadum and Al Asad air bases, including MiG-25s and Su-25s[13]. The IQAF proved to be totally non-existent during American invasion; a few helicopters were seen but no fighters flew to fight against coalition aircraft.[citation needed]
During the occupation phase, most of Iraq's combat aircraft (mainly MiG-23s, MiG-25s and Su-25s) were found by American and Australian forces in poor condition at several air bases throughout the country while others were discovered buried.[14] Most of the IQAF's aircraft were destroyed during and after the invasion, and all remaining equipment was junked or scrapped in the immediate aftermath of the war. None of the aircraft acquired during Saddam's time remained in service.[12]
| Afghanistan's airplanes were from the 60's and 70's and they weren't exactly in the best operational condition either considering that spare parts weren't exactly abundant.
It's like sending Mike Tyson against a grade-school kid.
Air superiority is nice and dandy, but it doesn't do jack for the ground forces who have to hold the captured territory against insurgents and local resistance. | 