Logistical aircraft are crucial for modern air forces, enabling missions that involve extensive flight durations, as seen when stealth aircraft bombed Iran's nuclear facilities supported by in-air refuelers.
"For seven decades, the B-52 has stood as a symbol of American airpower. With its unmistakable silhouette and dual-capable nature, it serves as a visible and credible strategic deterrent for the United States and its allies."
President Trump announced the F-22 Raptor will receive "super" upgrades, emphasizing its significance as the US no longer produces the fighter jet.
Nuclear powers India and Pakistan are clashing again, and one side is already claiming kills in air battles that sound like a hodgepodge of foreign-made fighter aircraft.
"More than 70 years later, the metallic carcass is still there. The whole setting for it is just bizarre in a post-apocalyptic way," said Abby Wines, spokesperson for Death Valley National Park. "It's kind of on its side on a slope. It's extremely steep. You're on the ridge that sticks out into Panamint Valley. When you're looking through and over the plane, there's this desolate, open space where there's nothing but the valley and mountains as far as the eye can see."
Air superiority through the use of attack and strike aircraft allows for more offensive and defensive capabilities, making it crucial for maintaining tactical advantage in conflict.