I'm a US civilian airline pilot.
I have tend to wonder if my former military co-workers spent much time in the recognition training room.
In the 1990's as a Flight Engineer on the 727 I was somewhat suprised the former F15 driver, now First officer, ask what type of business jet was off to the right. It was midsize type like a Hawker. It suprised me that a guys who job was to intercept possibly anything didn't have a clue what the jet was.
If I remember right, he said while they spent alot of time on ID-ing Mig29s, anything else was ignored.
It wasn't a suprise to me later when the Blackhawk was blasted by an F15 in Northern Iraq.
I'll let the more informed make a call in the air vs. armor debate.