03 November 2009

Air Superiority

One reason the UAVs like the Predator and Reaper are so effective (read able to operate at all) is total air superiority.

They are not stealthy, they are not fast, they are not maneuverable. They ARE unopposed, at present.

If we fight a war where the airspace is contested, and we skimp on things like fighters we are not going to be able to fly UAVs with the impunity we currently employ.

Cutting funding for F-22A and clipping the orders for F-35 by 50% is exactly skimping on fighters.

By the way, if you are going to use the argument that the A-10C and F-15E are "good enough" so we don't need so many of the new two, then you are going to have to start buying the older designs as well because they are wearing out.

This doesn't even really address the whole picture. The Navy and Marines need planes too and the way they use them wears them out faster.

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