Newer Is Not Always Better

Feb 19, 2009

By Ken.

We’re trained to think that America owes its military prowess to a state-of-the-art technological advantage. While we are generally technologically superior, it’s fascinating to see how much of the backbone of our military prowess depends on tech that is, in relative terms, ancient. Today South Bend Seven has an informative post about the F-15, the workhorse of our air force, with an impressive 107-0 kill ratio an an average venerable age of 24, with a technological age more than a decade older than that. Our air supremacy is built on the same tech level of the 8-track tape, and succeeds because no one will fly against it.

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6 Comments

4 Comments

Mike • May 9, 2009 @5:50 pm

Well, just have a war game with russians to prove your point. Russian airforce had issued that challenge to US air force many years ago with no takers. I hope you can use F-22s and kick their ass to the moon or, your cheicken may have too many feathers and not much meat.
Jamie • Jul 2, 2009 @10:49 am

Thread necromancy! It’s actually far more acute than a lousy three decades, in many cases. I spent eight years in the Navy, most of it as an engineer aboard a large, boiler-and-turbine powered vessel. I got out two years ago, and last summer went to visit family in Hawaii. This occasioned a trip to Pearl Harbor, where, moving through the small diesel sub, USS Bowfin, and the large battleship, USS Missouri, both designed and built over sixty years ago now, I could easily identify, use, troubleshoot, and repair almost all of the engineering equipment.
Ken • Jul 2, 2009 @10:51 am

Thanks, Jamie. That’s interesting. Yes, my grandfather served on a seaplane tender in the Pacific in WWII, and I understand it remained in service for decades after that.
Charles • Jul 2, 2009 @1:43 pm

While we’re recalling WWII so close to the 4th, I’ll throw my father into the mix. During the latter stages of the war he served in the Navy on the A.O. USS Mattaponi when it was brand-spanking new. It lasted until shortly after I was brand-spanking new.