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0 pointsrsync8y ago0 comments

"The expectation is that fighter combat will continue to evolve to become ever more information dominant."

Is fighter combat a thing ?

What was the last air to air ("dogfight") the US was involved in ? How frequent are they ?

I am in favor of optimization and looking ahead to future use but when you use wording like "fighter combat will continue to evolve" that makes it sound like a thing that is happening in the world and that we are getting feedback from ... is it ?

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4 comments · 2 top-level

Sharlin8y ago· 2 in thread

”Fighter combat” or ”air-to-air” does certainly not equal dogfighting. Air-to-air is what fighters are made for! It’s just that these days it’s most often beyond-visual-range (BVR) engagement with radar and missiles. It’s still fighter combat.

Slansitartop8y ago

> ”Fighter combat” or ”air-to-air” does certainly not equal dogfighting. Air-to-air is what fighters are made for! It’s just that these days it’s most often beyond-visual-range (BVR) engagement with radar and missiles. It’s still fighter combat.

Haven't they been claiming that most air combat will be "beyond visual range" since they released the F-4 in the 60s? Then it never happens because the rules of engagement require visual confirmation, because they don't want fuckups and friendly-fire incidents because someone's IFF was broken.

icegreentea28y ago

ROE can change. Since the generation of BVR missiles with fire and forget capability were introduced, NATO forces have never engaged in near-peer combat. In these environments, strict ROE designed around minimizing political fallout makes more sense.

In the case of combat against near-peer, peer opponents, I fully expect ROE to change to allow greater use to BVR missiles to their full capability.

In any case, I think most groups more or less settled on the idea that you really do need both - you need sufficient WVR and BVR capability to be a useful fighter jet in the next few decades.

spacehome8y ago

1999, Serbia; infrequent.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NATO_bombing_of_Yugoslavia#Air...

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