Air Superiority: Myth, Magic or Panacea—Air Power’s Quest for Control of the Air

General Giulio Douhet wrote in 1921 that, ‘he who controls the air controls everything’. Almost a century later, the official doctrine of most major air power nations continue to propagate a similar theme. His contention that control of the air is vital for victory in war was widely accepted and remains so till today. Prominent air power theorists, writing across ages and across continents, agreed to the primacy given to winning and maintaining control of the air. Control of the air is assumed to be primus inter pares of all the air power roles. The airplane as a weapon of war has undergone massive transformation, however the doctrine for its employment has remained remarkably stable underlining the need for air superiority. While US-led air power could field overwhelmingly disproportionate forces against its opponent, smaller nations fighting regional battles outside of major coalitions find it difficult to obtain theater-wide air superiority. In addition, recent experiences in the Armenia–Azerbaijan conflict and the ongoing Russia–Ukraine War has given rise to disruptive technology that is cheaper and easier to obtain. The fight for control of the air is becoming more complex. Unmanned and autonomous systems are delivering effects at a fractional cost compared to manned aircraft. While the means and methods to wage war have undergone tremendous changes, the need for gaining and maintaining control of the air has remained consistent.

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