Theater wide operations maybe a thing of the past like WW2. Large geographical areas with standing armies facing each other are also maybe a thing of the past. Doesn't mean it won't happen.
Same applies to airpower between sides. Reason.
Replacing destroyed and heavily damaged aircraft, tanks, ships, and other systems are too costly and most important way too long in building replacements. Months for a single fighter, years for a ship.
Losses can exceed that rebuild factor.
Currently, surgical strikes and limited engagements will happen. Targeting small areas, air, naval and ground superiority can be easily achieved with conventional forces.
The wildcard. Drones.
Drones being used as kamikaze tactical weapons can undermine achieving superiority. This can revert back to the quantity overpowering quality with mass cheap weapons in the thousands versus 85 million dollar and higher aircraft, tanks and billion dollar ships. Raw attrition can be a strategic weapon.
This is all debate amongst ourselves. I'm sure the 4 Stars are very up to date on these matters. That's why they earn the big bucks of $20,000 a month.
Upgrading the engines on th B-52s, they will keep being the deterrent for global nuclear strike strategy. They will be safe in protected airspace for launching. This is far cheaper than building 100 more stealth bombers.
If you really want to panic Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran, then we should start building WW2 fighters and bombers for active-duty service. They see that. They will believe we know something that they don't.
WW3 will lose all we have now. WW4 might be a second round of WW2.
