Posted originally on Oct 11, 2024 By Martin Armstrong
QUESTION: I hear that the F16, introduced in 1978, is obsolete in today’s modern war. Do you have any information on this? Have we entered the day when swords are replaced by guns?
PH
ANSWER: The F-16 is a legendary warplane. You are correct. It was first introduced in 1978. It was a versatile and reliable fighter for decades. However, as fifth-generation aircraft like the F-35 dominate today, the F-16 is nearing the limits of its capabilities despite upgrades that have extended its life.
You are also correct that we are facing a major shift in technology that will be looked back upon by historians drawing the lines between monumental advances in geopolitical power. The days of the F-16 are rapidly coming to an end, and they cannot contend with modern air defense systems. The Air Force plans to keep some F-16s operational until the 2040s, assuming the United States even survives. The F-16 is becoming as obsolete as a sword after the invention of gunpowder. The shifting to newer technologies like drones, directed-energy weapons, hypersonic systems, and laser weapons is essential for keeping pace with evolving global threats.
Constantinople had been impregnable to invaders since it was constructed in 330AD. It finally fell in 1453 AD when the Turks used gunpowder from China and attacked the city with canons. That shift in technology brought down the last vestige of the Roman Empire.
Weapons during the Stone Age were generally made of flint and obsidian. They were rather sharp and made good weapons. Copper was first tried, but it tended to be too soft. Swords appeared made of bronze during the Bronze Age, 3300 to 1200 BC. They were replaced by iron, which appeared during the Early Iron Age (c. 12th century BC). However, iron swords became widespread before the 8th century BC. The first known gun appeared in 1364; by 1380, handguns were common throughout Europe.
This time, we are dealing with another cyclical shift in war technology. The Europeans are out of their mind. I do not know what else to say. They are cheering on war and think they can conquer Russia and gain all the natural resources as wealth. It is only genocide when the opposition defends itself.
On September 20th, 2024, the US Marine Corps achieved a game-changing milestone with the triumphant third test flight of the cutting-edge XQ-58A Valkyrie at Florida’s Eglin Air Force Base. This monumental event means that for the first time ever, the Department of Defense has successfully managed an aerial vehicle using offboard expeditionary control methods. In other words, the XQ-58A Valkyrie is an unmanned and hyper-autonomous aircraft.
The next great leap is the goal of creating autonomous robot warriors that make decisions on their own. These warriors could be used to protect governments during revolutions. They would not hesitate to kill civil protestors.
In 80AD, Vespasian’s son Titus opened the Colosseum. We are now approaching 1947 years from its opening in 2027. That is 6.28 times 309.6 years, which is also really twice 3.14 and does not bode well for Europe. Remember the names of world leaders from Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen, Keir Starmer, Giorgia Meloni, Olaf Scholz, President Emmanuel Macron, and the rest of the crew. This illustrious group history will recall as the destroyers of Western culture.
