The contentious overtures to replace live-fly sorties with training device sorties as a way to reduce operating and maintenance costs confuse the discussion of finding the right balance and relationship between the two environments.

There is an ongoing debate whether live-fly and synthetic/virtual test and training are sufficient or appropriate to meet the evolving needs of the Air Force to be ready to fight and win against any future adversary. Today, the Department of the Air Force should simulate many of these threats to expose pilots to the most modern adversary kill chains in the world In the Nevada desert in the late 1970s, the Air Force 4477th Test and Evaluation Squadron - dubbed the “ Red Eagles” - stood up a squadron of Soviet-origin jets in complete secrecy so that fighter pilots could see up close their prey to eliminate the “buck fever” that plagued pilots during the Vietnam air war.

No hunter is immune from “buck fever,” that nervous excitement the first time prey is spotted.

How to log in modern combat versus