S.A.M. Based "Air Force"

Hi guys,

Would it be practical, given the superiority of nations such as the US, France, India, Russia and China in terms of tactical air power, for smaller nations such as (this is just for example of size, nothing to do with geographical location or political standing) Romanian, Serbia or Kenya to organise an air defence plan based solely around Surface to Air Missile Defences?

To simplify, why shouldn’t these nations concentrate more on upgrading existing SAM’s and purchasing more advanced SAM models instead of keeping small numbers of air defence fighter aircraft in their arsenals? Wouldn’t this mean that, granted while losing air superiority in the event of a war with a larger neighbour, no pilots are risked and more enemy aircraft would be destroyed?

Given that the casualties taken by US, Russian and Coalition aircraft during recent conflicts in various hotspots were caused by SAM’s of various makes and models and that the defending fighter aircraft were swept from the skies over Iraq and Serbia, doesn’t this justify an all SAM defence?