Over the past 50 years, the number of air combat victories against manned aircraft has significantly decreased since the United States’ withdrawal from Vietnam. Examining the types of conflicts the country has been involved in sheds light on the reasons behind this decline. Despite ongoing armed conflicts, the prevalence of air combat has diminished due to various factors. In previous major conflicts, such as World War II, the Korean War, and the War in Vietnam, the United States and its allies faced the air power of entire countries like Imperial Japan, Nazi Germany, North Korea, and North Vietnam. However, recent conflicts primarily involve non-state actors like ISIS or Al-Qaeda, as well as smaller forces with limited air power, such as the U.S. Invasion of Panama. Additionally, the utilization of drones and the introduction of modern technologies like Chinese surveillance balloons have significantly reduced manned air combat. These developments have contributed to fewer instances where U.S. aircraft have engaged in combat.

Despite having the world’s most advanced fleet of aircraft, only a small fraction of these jets have participated in combat. Nevertheless, in rare instances where U.S. pilots have engaged in combat, they have consistently emerged as victorious.