As for the B52 missions, or any other 'saturation' attack, the game is to not 'stop' the attack, but to make it too costly for the enemy to attack repeatedly, or to reduce the ability of the enemy to attack with impunity. Staying alive is at least half that battle - better to force one attack group to abort, but not obtain any kills than to kill two jets but be destroyed by a Shrike.

And as history advances, the USAF/US-NAVY gets nastier and nastier.
In Libya, you will face the HARM missile first time, and THAT will be a nasty surprise.


If we reach 1999, the skies over Serbia, your main option will be to stay alive.