Is it all in computer hardware and software, or have we learned more about aerodynamics, material science, and engine construction between say, the F16 and the F35 Lightning II.
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Part of it is due to advances in technology, but there are also changes to warfare itself than drive technological change. Countries that are facing armed threats will evolve their militaries to emphasize their advantages and negate disadvantages, but other nations will do the same. In aggregate, this dynamic would drive technological change even with the advent of new technologies. New technological developments both drive and are driven by changes in warfare. In addition, part of a country’s preparations for possible war can involve maintaining an industrial base that can be ramped up to produce more material in the event of war. For modern complex weapons like military aircraft, maintaining the entire supply chain required for all the parts is necessary if one has any hope of replenishing stocks in wartime. So some level of new military purchasing may not be strictly necessary in peacetime, but will help keep industry prepared in the event of war. If such purchases are going to be done anyway, it makes sense to keep a military modernized along the way.
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