Abolish the Air Force

[carl]

A few comments:

If the PRC were to attack Taiwan I don't think it likely the mainland would be off limits to air strikes. Maybe, maybe we wouldn't hit it but I think the Taiwanese wouldn't be held back. The straits aren't that wide, I don't see how you could defend Taiwan without hitting ports and airfields on the mainland.

In Korea, there was sort of a tacit deal, they wouldn't come so far south if we didn't go to far north. That wouldn't hold with an all out attack on Taiwan.

With some kinds of weapons, small differences in effectiveness don't make huge differences in the outcomes of fights. The M-1 was a better rifle than the Arisaka (I think that is what it was called) but the Japanese Army did well enough. In air to air fighting, small differences in the effectiveness of fighters make huge differences in the outcome of a fight. For example, if the F-86 hadn't been around, NO UN fighter could have stayed in the sky with the MiG-15.

The F-22 is a remarkable airplane, a generation ahead of anything else out there. I think the USAF generals are so determined to keep the F-22 around because they truly believe that it will quickly destroy any air force we have to fight, any air force. Keeping the other guys air force off your back is the prime function of an air force and with the F-22 the USAF will be able to do its job with alacrity.

The USAF is a vexing institution that has a lot of bad habits. But I think it is worth keeping around because we need an institution that will think primarily about whipping the other guys air force. Human nature being what it is, I don't think an Army or Naval air arm would give that problem enough thought.

I told Slapout the best way to think of an air force is to think of it like a lawyer; it is expensive, causes a lot of trouble and you don't need it very often. But when you need it, you really need it and you had better have the best one available.