Aircraft are unique signatures against an uncluttered background.If it is only true for fixed targets then how does an anti-aircraft missile work? Isn't the target moving? Dosen't the missile HOE(Home On Energy) or home on Radar. Things will go wrong it is not a perfect system but pretty good.
Mobile ground targets, as we are finding in Libya look pretty much alike signature wise makig them needle in a haystack problems. Technology to sort the ground picture out is improving, but go to a major city and look up at the planes coming into the airport and shoot the one down you want.
Now look at the interstate and try to pick out the one semi-truck you want to hit.
See the difference?
The problem of the future of CVs is wrapped up to a large degree in the issue of what sortie generation capability can they provide in places they are acceptably vulnerable, and what constitutes circumstances when they are too vulnerable.
The arguement of some critics is that it doesn't matte rif they have effectivenes in low threat environments if they are not effective in AL threat environments. That logic, applied to every military system we have, would result in them al lbeing considered "obsolete" because there are situations they are not survivable.
The problem is one of resource allocation to get capability across the largest par of the risk spectrum, at acceptable risk and investment cost.
Apprciate the perspectives shared here. Keep em coming!
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