The Fighter Mafia

The Fighter Mafia was a group of American military analysts and engineers in the 1960s and early 1970s who advocated for lightweight, cost-effective fighter jets over large, expensive aircraft. They believed that agility, affordability, and versatility were more important than technological complexity or maximum speed. This group influenced the development of aircraft like the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, emphasizing operational efficiency and pragmatism in military aviation, challenging traditional ideas that bigger and more advanced technology always meant better combat performance.