For me no, I'm waiting on the Oscar or hawk75 so I'm going the wrong way already. All that being said I think there are major major misconceptions of what modern air combat entails. Now my exposure is limited as well but when you look at all the clips of the red flag and similar exercises you get 3 components that stand out...
1) attack/defense force configuration and control.
Modern air war seems to be fought from the command center, the fighter pilot is a pawn in a larger game and not in control of his/her destiny. While the training and skills may determine success/survival an awful lot is being decided by some guy sipping coffee and looking at telemetry from an AWAC.
2) EM/ECM and weapons delivery platforms
To a large degree competing and overlapping technologies drive the battle. Some planes are "state of the art", however many are actually refurbished and combine state of the art electronics and weapons with older airframes. Add the emerging concepts of weapons platforms (bombers with large numbers of BVR weapons) and also the capabilities for low grade airframes to mount BVR weapons in a passive mode with control handled by the electronic "net" after firing. One of the check trainers has 7 hardpoints and can carry 6 AARAM's and an electronics pod for example.
3) ACM
So before you get to our definition of air combat you have to survive the above, even if you do then you are subject to the realities of #2. That an enemy "flight of 4" low tech/low hour trainers is cruising in at 200 ft with 24 AARAM's. As soon as the guy on the other side has you locked in with his "1st line" fighters he can launch 24 (or 48,72 etc) at the entire furball.
The reality is that the entire focus is shifting to detection and the ability to deploy BVR weapons en masse. You can buy an awful lot of BVR for the price of an F-22.
