Contrapost to this, in the (chronological) sequel to Flight of the Intruder, Stephen Coonts' foil Jake Grafton is tasked with working up a strike package to take out a Soviet surface action group using A6B's, this being well prior to the adoption of the Harpoon ASM. 30% losses on the way in, reduce the enemy forces by perhaps 20-30%, 30% losses on the way out, then rearm and refuel and try to hit them again.
The devil's arithmetic indeed.
Also I have heard tell that the Walker's (John Walker died back in August and I hope he's in Hell) treachery would've cost us incredibly had the balloon gone up.
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THIS IS MY SIG, HERE IT IS.
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