I found this quote in my latest AIR INTERNATIONAL issue at the end of an article on state-of-the-art CAS:
“Possibly the most intriguing Aspect of recent CAS experience in Iraq and Afghanistan has been the renaissance of the cannon and unguided rocket. Strafing runs by USAF F-15E Strike Eagles … are all a return to basics and suggest that there can be no substitute for ‘getting down and dirty’ during the close air support battle.”
Hopefully, this time the lessons of war experience will bear fruit on Whitehall decisions and save the RAF from another cost-cutting experience which instead of into costs cuts into operational capabilities.