It seems that the main story is just how much of a force-multiplier ever-increasing resources poured into aircraft development are on the battlefield. But I think the main point missed is the classic cold-war dynamics. None of the countries wealthy enough to produce and operate top-level military aircraft are willing to even appear to fight each other, because they all have lots of nuclear weapons as well. That leaves third-world countries operating leftovers and castoffs. Interesting still that they are less and less willing to even try to engage first-world air forces.
