Why do we drop so much ordinance on targets? I know this sounds inhuman, but the ROI seems absurd after looking through combat footage. Shouldn’t targets be eliminated in a more cost effective manner?
Its cheaper to shoot twice and make sure they're gone than to shoot once and find out a week later that you have to send somebody else to go shoot them again. Bombs and missiles are expensive, but they're not the only cost to be factored into such decisions. Launching another sortie because the f…
The Short Answer
Its cheaper to shoot twice and make sure they're gone than to shoot once and find out a week later that you have to send somebody else to go shoot them again. Bombs and missiles are expensive, but they're not the only cost to be factored into such decisions. Launching another sortie because the first one was insufficient means using more ordinance, but more importantly it means putting soldiers back into a hostile situation. Every time you send people out, there's a risk that some won't come back, so you want to minimize the number of sorties without compromising your objectives. If that means dropping more bombs, then you drop more bombs. Bombs can be replaced faster than the pilots who drop them.
Analysis
Key Concepts: Bombs, shoot, means
This explanation focuses on bombs, shoot, means and spans 123 words across 6 sentences. At 71% above the average History explanation (72 words), this is one of the more thorough answers in this category, reflecting the complexity of the underlying question.
What This Answer Covers
The explanation opens with: “Its cheaper to shoot twice and make sure they're gone than to shoot once and find out a week later that you have to send” It then elaborates by presenting a contrasting perspective, ultimately building toward a complete picture across 6 connected points.
How This Compares in History
Ranked #77 of 500 History questions by answer depth (top 16%). This places it in the comprehensive tier — the top quarter of most thoroughly answered questions. Questions at this depth typically involve multi-faceted topics requiring nuanced explanation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why we drop so much ordinance on targets? i know this sounds inhuman, but the roi seems absurd after looking through combat footage. shouldn't targets be eliminated in a more cost effective manner?
Its cheaper to shoot twice and make sure they're gone than to shoot once and find out a week later that you have to send somebody else to go shoot them again. Bombs and missiles are expensive, but they're not the only cost to be factored into such…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar History questions?
This is one of the most thorough answer at 123 words, ranked #77 of 500 History questions by depth. The key concepts covered are bombs, shoot, means.
What approach does this answer take to explain we drop so much ordinance on targets? i know this sounds inh?
The explanation uses root cause analysis and contrasting perspectives across 123 words. It is categorized under History and addresses the question through 2 analytical lenses.