Jacko,
You and I will never agree (we are both equally biased) but I find it intriguing that you never seem to include the "cost " of supporting deployed air forces. What does it cost (in terms of strat and tac air transport, shipping etc) to deploy 36 multi-role jets for, say, 20 days high intensity warfighting? Particulalry if they have to move DOBs before the fighting starts. And have we ever done so? Regrettably I am too far removed from the Service to know these things.