Point of information- McCain was an attack pilot, not a fighter pilot. The confusion maycome from the fact that in the Air Force any single pilot combat airplane is called a “fighter” whether it attacks ground targets or other airplanes. In the Navy attakc pilots actually have higher status than fighter pilots- aircraft carrier captains are usually attack pilots. Attacking a ground target requires a much different mindset than fighting other airplanes- single minded focus on a target, regardless of distractions and dangers, rather than rapidly responding to a 3D situation.

Too much can be made of this of course. McCain’s personality and Fruedian psychodrama have much more influence on what he does than his military training and experience.

I don’t know why John Boyd is regarded as such a great and original military genius. I think only because he learned to express basic military ideas in the lingo of an organization that is mainly about buying stuff.