USAF feels Oleg's pain

[Azimech]

For many years I had the idea that aircraft development time increased primarily by the growing need for stable software. Seems I was right.
You see it everywhere in western industry if vehicles are concerned.

Can you believe carmakers wish to delete the physical connections between steer-wheels and pedal-brakes? I'm no luddite, but this goes too far. In a car you don't have the time to switch on a backup like in a plane.

Those enormous amounts of hardware & software aren't exactly in the spirit of Kelly Johnson. Instead of having a few aircraft that are the most complicated and expensive but clearly superior, why not a whole bunch of cheaper and simpler craft to maintain numerical superiority?

Not a single of those jets can fly in space yet the Space Shuttle's software is incredibly tiny in comparison. Instead of all those fancy computerized gizmo's why not develop a plane that can fly to twice the altitude of your competition so you can again dictate any rules of engagement? Think the X15 had a computer on board?

I like computers, that's not it. But I rebuilt my own 25 year old car and thank myself, I can repair it all by myself. The only computers that thing has operate the digital dash and the radio.