I noticed in the video that the USAF Chief of Staff is talking about suppressing enemy defenses instead of destroying (or "dominating") them. Is this a nice way of saying that Air Dominance is no longer an Air Force goal?
NOTE:
Before anyone adds a couple more weird statements to this post, I recommend you check with the USAF and get their definition of Air Superiority, Air Supremacy and Air Dominance. I'm just the messenger. Oh and for you guys that consider yourself "air guys" and don't know the difference--get a clue---I'm a ground guy and I know what's what.
There are a lot of ways to supress enemy defenses *including* destroying them. Using the word "supressing" takes everything into account. Saying, "destroying them" doesn't.
ReplyDeleteEr, ever heard of the acronym SEAD?
ReplyDeleteThe pilot's gesture at 3m2s says it all.
ReplyDelete/BB
SEAD vs DEAD is in the weapon, not the launch platform. For the USAF the AARGM is the stepping stone from SEAD to DEAD.
ReplyDeleteThe F-35 is getting the AARGM in Blk6. This is the notional schedule and could be moved forward if required or a new weapon could be chosen (like T3).
air superiority vs. air dominance is a doctrine, not a weapon system. recommend everyone head over to the Air Force University to see their thinking on this subject.
ReplyDeleteAnon
ReplyDeleteSEAD was just that, supression
Its quite easy to force the other guy to turn his radars off.
Its much harder to destroy the missiles on the ground.
Considering the US is going almost all L/O, with masses of EW, and carrying a couple of ALARMs is no bother weight wise, technicaly shouldn't take much to triple pack them on one pylon (as Brimstone does), is SEAD enough?
Is DEAD worth the extra effort?
Why?
Because you did it yesterday?
DEAD is needed due to the mobility of SAMs/AAA and better EW.
DeleteSoloman, the difference between SEAD and DEAD is that the weapon can still hit it's target with high confidence even after it turns off its radar.
ReplyDeletePrevious HARMs could not do this. AARGM can.
You're mixing up Air Dominance (controlling the sky) with SAM/AAA hunting (SEAD & DEAD). They are not the same.
The general was specifically talking about the SEAD/DEAD mission and not A2A ops when he said "suppressing".