Defense Reform And Technology: Tactical Aircraft [Hardcover]

To capture the defense reform debate surrounding the proper application of high technology in military systems, this study focuses on tactical aircraft, an area epitomizing cutting-edge technology. Air combat history is revisited (including the 1991 Persian Gulf War) to confirm, reject, or qualify positions advocating certain technologies in tactical aviation. Emphasis is placed on enduring combat ideas and aircraft design principles. The interaction between mission requirements, inventory composition, and aircraft design is discussed to illustrate the dynamics of constrained choice that enters acquisition decisions. The relevance of reform arguments in the post-Cold War era is assessed, including the impact of political and economic constraints on future force-mix options, the shift from NATO-centered contingencies to Third World Low Intensity Conflict (LIC), and the threat of conventional arms proliferation.SERGE HERZOG, who served in the Swiss Air Defense, is currently a consultant for OEISInc.

Figures and Tables
Preface
Acknowledgments
The Debate
The Case of Tactical Fighter Aircraft
From Versatility to Supportability
Reformers and Air Combat History
The Nineties and Beyond
Appendix A: F-16 Program Evolution and Performance Characteristics
Appendix B: F-16 Data Analysis
Index