[amilein7minutes]

I might be the only one, but reading the article and the discussion here, I can't help but ask a bigger picture question on whether it is worth putting so many pilots through the torture of flying F-16's and F-35's. G-locking sounds extremely unpleasant. Does it have any longer term effects on the pilot? Despite the development on the software, aircraft technology, and the fundamental aerodynamics side that the F-35 and F-16 programs have brought about, they still seem inhuman to the aviators.

Why isn't anyone questioning whether these high-maneuverability fighter aircraft should be used at all, especially given the huge budget of these programs?

[bradj]

How would they plan to fight against other high maneuverability aircraft without comparable or better aircraft? There is definitely a goal of going unmanned at some point in the future in order to save lives, but the job still needs to be done today.