Regarding the two Russian A50 shot down during the Ukraine war, but it would also apply to US style AWACS.

Beside the price-tag of the plane itself, I would expect that the crews operating the radar are also highly trained, and that if it may be even harder to train a crew than to build a new plane.

I know, that something as simple as pulling the big-red handle on your paraglider harness is pretty hard when you’re in a severe flight incident dealing with G forces and the ground moving full speed toward you, and I imagine it’ll be even harder on a large plane, where you need to access a escape hatch, most likely in a burning and depressurized cabin while having no idea where is up/down due to the G-force and the rotation. However, when flying a plane which like a high value target for the opposing army it would at least feel more comfortable to know that you have a low but non zero chance to escape if you’re shot down.

    • Ziggurat@sh.itjust.worksOP
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      8 months ago

      A big one when you"re in that plane. In the first case you don’t know what happened. In the other you’re strapped to a chair, get G load, breathe smoke and know you’ll die. It’s the case where at least trying to reach an escape hatch gives you something to do during you’r last minutes of life