How much in modern aerial combat depends on the skills of the pilot (vs the qualities of his aircraft)?

I've watched a lone TOP GUN instructor in an archaic F-5 wax two nuggets in full-up Hornets, making them sink in their chairs in the debrief (in the nicest possible way).

When you get to the merge, it doesn't matter how much engineering you have on your side if you're working off pure brain stem and the dude staring at you out the top of his canopy is already thinking about the next 5 moves, can tell your energy state by smell, and knows your wife likes Kenny G.

That being said, if it's a beyond visual range (BVR) fight and you're getting cued by radar controllers to engage someone way out on your radar, there's only so much someone without that capability can do. If your stick is longer than his, you will have a better chance of whacking him. Even if he doesn't drop from missile-thelioma, he'll still most likely have to react to it somehow, leaving you in a better position for a follow-on shot.

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Tim Hibbetts on Quora:

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