When WW3 kicks off, do you think older fighters will be put back into service to free up new aircraft for their intended roles?
Kinda like how many nations in WW1 brought back black powder single shots and ever modernized them -- not so they can be effective combat weapons, but so more modern rifles can be given to frontline troops rather than rear guard (who only really need a rifle for vanity)
I don't think that will be a problem but at least for the US worst we'll be dipping into is older F15s, 16s, and 18s. All of our 3rd Gens (save the harrier which may or may not be a 3rd gen) have either been mothballed or sold off
I wonder what will happen to the Harrier. Spain still uses them along with US Marines, hope they don't get target droned.
Depends on the state of the airframes but I wouldn't be surprised if they're pawned off to some 3rd rate ally like The Philippines or Canada
>All of our 3rd Gens (save the harrier which may or may not be a 3rd gen) have either been mothballed or sold off
Don't forget blown up. We're now at the point where old F-16s are being used as target drones.
>TFW you will never see a squadron of F-5's ganging up on a J-20 or a squadron of SU-57's
>Hey buddy, still alive?
t. nugget
>tfw you have finally found a reason to fight, buddy.
To an extend we already are. The US and USSR had sold a lot of obsolete planes to minor powers for proxy wars. The F-14s in Iran, for example.
You must be trolling, the F-14 back when it was sold to the Sha's Iran was like selling the F-22.
Bring it back
my man
Would be incredibly situational.
Pakistan vs India send em anything
Korea vs China no BVR it better be a drone truck
I for one want to see one last F-4 vs MiG-21 fight. A few nations still have em in service so haven't given up hope yet.
I think in an indian war they would bring out war elephants
War elephants carrying a Phalanx CIWS
I think you underestimate just how much equipment is on hand, and what manufacturing capabilities would be like if, say, a war were declared against a near peer enemy and spending as a % of GDP reached ten percent or more.
I'm impressed they finally managed to get the costs down on those things.
Well, that's what happens when you buy in bulk. It's like buying batteries. You can go to the store and buy a pair of AAAs for $10, or you can go online to a bulk store and two hundred for $50.
Definitely. There are thousands of mothballed tanks, aircraft, and armored vehicles sitting in boneyards. All it takes is a bit of refurbishment and new parts to get them back in working condition. Armed drone F-4 phantoms would be fricking sick. The Russians are picking through their boneyards right now for shit to send into the Ukraine meat grinder. We would be doing the same.
>I think you underestimate just how much equipment is on hand, and what manufacturing capabilities would be like if, say, a war were declared against a near peer enemy and spending as a % of GDP reached ten percent or more.
There is a 3+ year lead time on restarting javelin and stinger missile production. We are not able to scale up manufacturing in a timely manner. Western manufacturing capability has severely atrophied over the past 3 decades because it was sent overseas to pad Q3 earnings by a few cents a share. We're coasting on what was created in the past and whatever we've produced since on a peacetime footing. The facilities aren't there anymore and neither is the workforce.
you are dead ass wrong moron, we're making javelins right now and the stinger is due for replacement
WW3 = nukes fly
Anyone involved in said nuke exchange will not be in a state to maintain an airforce
>Avro Vulcans launching standoff cruise missiles
I'd cum in my pants.
We have a lot of aircraft in the boneyard that just needs the plastic ripped off and minor work to be battle ready.
I’d love to see some F-4s and A-7s bombing asiatics