Quote Originally Posted by selil View Post
I have some concerns about the f22, f35, etc... class of air craft. These all seem like fast moving, anti-aircraft, aircraft. Where are the Warthogs? In COIN the fighting is in close and pin-point accuracy versus saturation effect means bombers aren't as effective. Fast moving jets can't be nearly as effective unless they are using laser guided munitions which takes at least one or two individuals out of the ground fight to designate a target that may be highly mobile. I'm not sure if these are issues or not, but the choices of platform seem to be driving farther from CAS and COIN.
Both the F15 and F16 as well as the F22 and F35 can do their own laser designating from on high -- as can the bombers nowadays as more and more of them are equipped with Sniper or other pods.

The issue on the F22 and F35 is, again, can you guarantee that we'll only need aircraft to support COIN operations in the admittedly excessive length of time it now takes to develop and field an aircraft system?

Plus the F35 will bring some real strengths to any type of war, COIN or air dominance...