Russia and Ukraine

[Pat Mustard]

-we'll soon see a similar wave of disappointment in f16s - as people believe they will be used in roles they absolutely will not be.  I suspect they'll put an end to russias glide bombing, which is the only volume weapon russia appears to have left since their tanks are trash and their artillery has shut up...but it won't be out there dogfighting su over ukranian cities or providing cas on the killing fields.  Ukraine has been degrading russian aa assets for months and is set to get awacs with link16 - allowing the patriots, nasams, and f16s to share targeting data on low flying threats in radar clutter hundreds of km into russia.  The short version is that the f16s and ground batteries will be able to lock and fire at su that they can't see, from positions where the su's can't see them, well beyond release range for glide bombs, and this is how they'll be used.

Pierre Sprey* and John Boyd will be soo soooo sad there's going to be no dog-fights.

*Yes, yes I know Sprey is dead. But that idiot was the voice of the Jet fighter mafia for a long time despite having no knowledge or experience in designing military aircraft.