Message posted by Ronbo on December 09, 2010 at 16:27:53 PST:

There is no intent in my comments to minimize the flying abilities of anyone. But flying abilities alone are not the subject. Tactics development, strike package organization and leadership, training program development, and weapons employment are the skills developed and honed at Top Gun, the NATO Weapons equivalent (I can't remember the exact name), and per the current discussion, the Weapon School.
Landing on a carrier is obviously a demanding skill to perfect but it is a fundamental flying skill. Air Force pilots qualified to land EA-6Bs on carriers so that skill is not unique to the Navy or Marines. A combatant commander does not care if plane lands on a carrier or a runway, he just assumes the pilots can do that. It could also be argued that landing a U-2 after flying in a space suit for 10 hours is at least as demanding...

In Reply to: Re: A-4 at Nellis posted by Robert on December 08, 2010 at 22:35:19 PST:

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