The Light-weight fighter mafia, their ideas still applicable today?

I’m sure everyone here has heard of the lightweight fighter mafia.. a group of USAF pilots who, after the lessons of Vietnam, decided that airplanes should be kept simple, aka (KISS, Keep it simple stupid).

Their arguements being, airplanes are becoming too complicated which diverts their attention from combat..

and I quote from an Edwards AFB site..

What the Fighter Mafia believed was needed was a return to the air superiority fighters of previous decades – a fighter that could maneuver when needed to bring guns to bear. Any additional features such as the ability to bomb must not diminish the fighter’s air superiority capability.

These experienced airmen believed that applying the K.I.S.S. (“keep it simple, stupid”) principle would enable the pilots to avoid task saturation and concentrate on keeping their eyes on the enemy and their hands on the throttle.

The Fighter Mafia envisioned a fighter less constrained by aircraft limitations. This technologically- superior craft would rely on the balance between energy, speed and position to dictate the fight

which lead towards the F-16, being a modern day “F-5/MiG-21” of sorts. And despite our friendly Arthur’s dreams, the reality (much like his nightmare) is that the F-16 is a very hot item on the export market.

However for those of you who are stuck in the past reminiscing qualities of a certain vintage, the times have changed. This ain’t Vietnam kids, BVRAAM and radars have improved significantly as well as other avionics and counter-measures. The slim Viper has now turned into an over grown snake that looks like it just ate a Bohemian cow, as with almost all other light and medium fighters designed in the 70’s. Heck even newer aircraft like the Gripen and old hags like the MiG-21 are being installed with their very own beer bellies (cough Gripen upgrade, cough Bison).

has the era of the LWF-mafia’s ideals become obsolete?