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The balance of power shifts all the time. Don't assume today's paradigm will be the paradigm of tomorrow.

For example, if the skies of tomorrow are filled with inexpensive drones, it's grossly cost-ineffective to fight with long range guided missiles.

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True, but it'll probably be stupid cheap to fight them with high-energy microwave emitters.

We don't plan to fight calvary anymore, do we? And hence there goes dogfighting.

>For example, if the skies of tomorrow are filled with inexpensive drones, it's grossly cost-ineffective to fight with long range guided missiles.

Perhaps. But human dogfighting skills will prove even more worthless in that future, relative to the guided missiles.

"Dogfighting" has subtly changed its meaning along the years. What it's always meant, however is situational awareness of the pilot enabling maneuver to tactically advantageous positions to prosecute successful attacks. I don't think that's ever going to go away, whether or not pilots are sitting in the cockpit or if the weapons are guns, missiles, or lasers and particle beams.

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