As a result, neither side is able to provide close air support to its troops on the front line.
US pilots and ground troops may face a similar situation in future wars, US Air Force leaders say.
They're not doing a whole lot because they can't go over and do close air support," Hecker said.
"Close air support in a contested environment, that's not what we do, no matter who you are," Brown added.
William GreerSince taking over as the top Air Force officer in August 2020, Brown has stressed that future battlefields will be more complex and deadly for the Air Force.