There was not a guy with a joystick guiding the plane in. Laser guided technology. The 'planes' were guided missiles, essentially.
https://man.fas.org/dod-101/sys/smart/lgb.htm
Target designators are semi-active illuminators used to "tag" a target. Typical laser guided bomb receivers use an array of photodiodes to derive target position signals. These signals are translated into control surface movements to direct the weapon to the target. An airborne detector can provide steering information to the pilot, via his gunsight, for example, and lead him on a direct heading to the target, finally giving him an aim point for a conventional weapon. Alternatively, a laser guided "smart" bomb or missile may be launched when a pilot is satisfied that the detector head has achieved lock-on and the launch envelope requirements are satisfied. In either of these cases, the pilot may never see the actual target, only the aim point as indicated by the laser.
^ another uniformed armchair opinion
Just brush off the truth to support your pet theory, a theory with no research or credible evidence of its own.
^ another uniformed armchair opinion
^ another uniformed armchair opinion
Is this what you people consider research, just blurting out nonsense?
It's called the Fight Termination System