Pierre Michel Sprey (November 22, 1937 – August 5, 2021) was a record producer and defense analyst. Working with John Boyd and Thomas P. Christie at the Pentagon, he was associated with the self-dubbed 'Fighter Mafia', which advocated the use of energy–maneuverability theory in fighter jet design.
Sprey was born in Nice, France, in 1936 to Jewish parents and raised in New York, U.S. Sprey was admitted to Yale University at the age of fifteen and graduated four years later with a double major in French literature and mechanical engineering. He later continued his education at Cornell University where he studied mathematical statistics and operations research. He subsequently worked at Grumman Aircraft as a consulting statistician on space and commercial transportation projects. From 1966 to 1970 he was a special assistant at the Office of the Secretary of Defense.
Defense analyst, criticism of the F-15
During the 1960s, Pierre Sprey was associated with a group of defense analysts who called themselves the "Fighter Mafia". He was a weapons system analyst working for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Systems Analysis. The Fighter Mafia worked behind the scenes in the late 1960s to advocate a lightweight fighter as an alternative to the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle.
The Fighter Mafia strongly believed that an ideal fighter should not include any of the sophisticated radar and missile systems or rudimentary ground-attack capability that found their way into the F-15. Their goal, based on energy–maneuverability theory, was a small, low-drag, low-weight, pure fighter with no bomb racks – similar to those found in the early-World War II designs. The Fighter Mafia claims it influenced the design requirements of the highly successful General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, although they were not happy with design changes made to the YF-16 as it became a costlier multi-role fighter rather than the lighter air-to-air specialist they originally envisioned. Sprey continued to be critical of the F-15 fighter.
Sprey left the Pentagon in 1971. He and Colonel John Boyd worked with others in the Pentagon and Congress toward military reform, helping gain passage of military reform legislation in the early 1980s.
Claimed role in A-X (YA-9 and A-10 Thunderbolt II) concept design
Sprey claimed that, while working as an analyst for the OSD, he was recruited by Colonel Avery Kay to help with the concept formulation of the A-X. Sprey would play a role in formulating the A-X Concept Formulation Package describing the flight characteristics and capabilities of the plane. Sprey helped adapt the experience and practical knowledge of German WW2 ace Hans-Ulrich Rudel with the theoretical approach of German WW2 aerospace engineer Hans Multhopp to the Vietnam War experience of the A-1 pilots also working in the concept formulation group. Sprey was an advocate for the A-X carrying a large caliber gun. These claims are disputed.
While the A-10 stayed fairly close to Sprey's vision as a dedicated close air support plane, Sprey promoted his "Blitzfighter" concept that would be even more minimalist. Sprey argued that bombs and missiles would be less effective in the CAS role than just a 30 mm cannon. The Blitzfighter was also supposed to weight less than the A-10, mainly by having its gun as the only weapon.
Criticism of the F-35 and A-10 divestment
Sprey was a frequent critic of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II program. He argued, paralleling his earlier arguments against the F-15, that despite its high cost, the F-35 is less agile than the F-16. Sprey argued that compared to the F-16 or A-10 (in both of whose operational roles it is marketed to operate), the F-35 was overweight and dangerous, stating "It's as if Detroit suddenly put out a car with lighter fluid in the radiator and gasoline in the hydraulic brake lines: that's how unsafe this plane is..." and "full of bugs".
He claimed that in the close air support (CAS) role, the F-35 is a poor replacement for the A-10 as it flies too fast for pilots to spot targets by eye and lacks maneuverability at low speeds. He said it lacks the necessary radios, cannot survive small arms fire (or anti-aircraft guns) and has poor loiter time. Sprey claimed that close air support should be the Air Force's most important mission and that the USAF has been trying to retire the A-10 for years simply because it does not want the CAS mission.