1/5/2023 0 Comments Air to air combat maneuvers![]() ![]() There’s no denying that technological trends back that growing sentiment. With more than three decades now separating today’s aviators from America’s last dogfights and stealth increasingly becoming the norm, it’s no wonder the Defense Department seems to be leaning away from the idea that air-to-air combat in close quarters should be a priority. ![]() But the last time American aircraft truly found themselves in some serious mid-air scraps was in 1991, over Iraq. The interaction wasn’t much of a dogfight, but it was the first air-to-air engagement carried out by an American fighter since Operation Allied Force over Kosovo in 1999. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet shot down a Syrian-flagged Su-22 as it bombed American-backed Syrian Democratic Forces in the Raqqa province of Syria. The most recent air-to-air kill scored by an American aircraft came in 2017, when a U.S. With at least two next-generation fighter programs now drawing funds from Pentagon coffers, there’s one looming question dominating the airspace over internet forums, the world’s military installations and advanced aviation research facilities alike: are dogfights really dead? ![]()
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