CHAPTER 2

AIR POWER
Air power is the most difficult of military force to measure or even to express in precise terms. The problem is compounded by the fact that aviation tends to attract adventurous souls, physically adept, mentally alert and pragmatically rather than philosophically inclined. Winston Churchill The aim of this Chapter is to define air power and identify the key characteristics that need to be considered if air power is to be properly exploited in the conduct of joint and multinational operations. This Chapter covers the British definition of air power, offers a brief overview of air power history,1 and highlights the factors that apply for the exploitation of air power. The Chapter includes a section on air power and the Principles of War and an introduction to the British core capabilities of air power.

Definition of Air Power

Air power has always been a difficult concept to define. From the birth of aviation to the development of independent air forces, many have seen air power as an allembracing concept. For example, Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir John Slessor argued that air power is a compound of Air Forces and all those things on which Air Forces directly or indirectly depend, such as a flourishing aircraft industry and civilian aviation, a good meteorological service, secure fuel supplies and so on. Today, the British definition of air power, which is reflected in Joint Doctrine publications, is: Air Power The ability to project military force in air or space by or from a platform or missile operating above the surface of the earth. Air platforms are defined as any aircraft, helicopter or unmanned air vehicle. This definition does not exclude civilian elements such as contractor support, particularly to sustain air operations, as Chapter 10 makes clear.

A full history of the development of air power doctrine is at Chapter 12.

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Air Power Characteristics - Historical Perspective

By the end of the First World War, aerial operations had made an impact across all forms of warfare. The enduring air power characteristics of height, speed and reach had been established. Furthermore, the majority of air power roles and missions had been tried, if not fully tested. After the war, however, the early exponents of air power such as Douhet, Mitchell and Trenchard made claims and promises for air power that could not be achieved using either contemporary or near term technology.2 In many nations, air arms had developed into air forces and aircraft were employed across the globe in a growing number of roles including reconnaissance, patrol, air policing, bombing, transport and search and rescue. Furthermore, aerial warfare and air travel had touched the imagination of the population, leading to many expectations about the future of air power. By the beginning of the Second World War, no military activity could ignore the third dimension. When air power was properly targeted and co-ordinated it proved influential in all theatres of war and, on occasion, decisive. Hard-earned experience confirmed the fundamental characteristics of air power in the minds of all military planners: speed, height, reach, and added ubiquity and flexibility.3 Since 1945, trends in the development of air power have accelerated dramatically. During the Cold War, investment in platform, sensor and weapon technology allowed air-to-air and air-to-ground weapon delivery accuracy to improve and space-based systems to become a reality. Furthermore, force multipliers such as helicopters, tankers and tactical air transport have enabled rapid manoeuvre in all environments. Now, air power is much less distinctly focused exclusively on air forces - the exploitation of air power is a joint and multinational business. Air warfare is now just as much a part of land and maritime warfare as it is a separate discipline. The provision of air power:
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Is inherently joint, combined and multinational in nature. Encompasses forces drawn from all three Services. Is concerned with the effective exploitation of air power assets. Is supported by national civilian and commercial resources. Is influenced by, and in turn influences, the land, sea and space environments.

There is a rich historiography of this subject. Recent coverage is contained in Mason, R A, Air Power, A Centennial Appraisal, Brasseys 1994 and Mielinger, P, (Ed), Paths to Heaven, AU, 1997. Royal Air Force Manual Operations (AP 1300), last reprint 1964, covers the historical and, largely, descriptive view of doctrine for air operations.

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Air Power Defining Characteristics

Air and space are very different environments in which to fight and operate from either land or sea. Consequently, air forces have different characteristics from land and sea forces. The distinguishing characteristic of air power is the exploitation of controlled flight by air vehicles above the surface of the Earth. Air and space power offers a unique ability to exploit the third dimension. As a result, air and space vehicles are faster and generally have a greater reach than naval ships or land vehicles. Thus, height, speed and reach remain the primary strengths of air power. The military advantages of elevation include enhanced observation and perspective of the battlespace. In addition to joint utility, air power platforms, sensors and systems are capable of independent, distinct action to attack an opponents defined centre of gravity with strategic effect as covered in Chapter 6. Furthermore, in virtually any form of modern conflict, control of the air is a pre-condition for the successful conclusion of land and maritime operations; details are in Chapter 5. Air power is, therefore, a key enabler in all joint and multinational operations. Roles and missions for joint and multinational operations are covered in Chapters 7-10. Historically, the characteristics of air power have been described as either strengths or limitations. Recent experience of conflict as described in Chapter 1 suggests that the relative importance of air power characteristics will vary depending on the circumstances. A range of factors which govern the effective employment of air power will apply to a greater or lesser extent, determined by the strategic context, operational campaign plan and tactical scenario.

Air Power Factors

The enduring factors that underpin the effective exploitation of air power are described below. They are listed alphabetically and not in priority order:
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Aircraft Carriers. Aircraft carriers offer the Joint Task Force Commander (JTFC) a unique source of air power that is largely immune to the constraints of host-nation support and national airspace overflight rights. Capable of conducting sea control and power projection, embarked joint force aircraft can conduct air power across the full spectrum of indirect and direct air operations. While forces in most regional conflicts will enjoy access to airfields and host-nation support, in some cases they may not. Additionally, crises may erupt with such rapidity that a response may be required before agreements for basing rights and airspace use can be obtained. In these circumstances, carrier-based aviation may afford the joint commander an enabling package of air power from the early stages of a crisis, poised near the zone of crisis. In joint operations involving aircraft from land and sea, the Joint Force Maritime Component Commander (JFMCC) will normally assign sorties over and above those he requires for sea control to the Joint Force Air Component Commander (JFACC) in support of the joint campaign. Further maritime command and control considerations are covered in Chapter 3 and BR 1806, British Maritime Doctrine.

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Embarked aircraft can conduct air power across the full spectrum of indirect and direct air operations.
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Airfields. Although all forms of military power depend to a greater or lesser extent on base support, most air vehicles depend on ground support facilities, particularly airfields. Airfields vary in size and scale, from joint civil/military international airports to rough grass or desert airstrips. Aircraft need base support if they are to operate at maximum sortie rates. A network of alternative operating bases with well spaced, multipurpose operating surfaces provides a degree of redundancy and makes them less vulnerable to attack depending on the scenario. Air power platforms can be launched direct from peacetime bases, simplifying logistics, since it may be more cost-effective in time, movement effort and money to use in-place facilities and logistics. For example, during Operation ALLIED FORCE, RAF Tornado GR1s operated from their home base in Germany to attack targets in the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Basing considerations. Planning factors that should be taken into account are: destination, distance, demand and duration. Although air-to-air refuelling (AAR) can extend reach and allow more distant deployment bases to be used, the extra matriel and manpower costs generated by the need for AAR need to be taken into account.

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Coalition Capability. Military forces employing air power systems generally share commonality of purpose, training and outlook. This commonality has arisen because of the nature of the environment in which air power is used. Furthermore, different air arms employ largely similar command and control procedures. Based on this large measure of commonality, air power can be integrated into combined forces for multinational and coalition operations. Likely coalition partners may have similar doctrine and may train and exercise together on a regular basis. This synergy, coupled with the use of English as the internationally agreed language of the air, can represent an important force multiplier for the employment of air power, thereby helping to build unity of effort. Flexibility/Versatility. Air vehicles are flexible and versatile weapons systems. Air assets can be diverted at any time in flight from one target to another or the assigned task can be changed. Modern multi-role air platforms and systems can be reconfigured quickly for other roles, whilst aircraft configured for multi-missions can carry out more than one specialist task during a single sortie. Commanders and planners need to be aware, however, of the logistic burden in terms of the variety of weapon stocks required to perform multi-missions. Fragility - Ease of Destruction. Modern air warfare demands that air vehicles have sophisticated performance characteristics. Modern air vehicles could be vulnerable to enemy air defences. As air power technology has advanced, so has the technology of air defences particularly surface-to-air missiles (SAM). Therefore, the suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD) is a crucial role for air power and is covered in greater detail in Chapter 5. The inherent fragility of aircraft can be ameliorated by speed, stealth and self-protection measures. When combined, such protection can make aircraft and weapon systems difficult targets for an enemy to engage. Furthermore, modern techniques of battle damage repair can do much to make good damage that has been sustained. Impermanence. An important element of air power is careful targeting to achieve the effect desired for the length of time required. As for air presence, the cost of maintaining a permanent presence or air occupation, to deny the occupation of ground or airspace, may be theoretically possible but can be prohibitively expensive. Air power can establish presence and monitor crisis areas through surveillance and reconnaissance, air patrols and by calling in a rapid response to detected/reported incidents on the surface and in the air. When acting in harmony during joint operations with ground or maritime forces, air power can bring an added dimension to manoeuvre warfare to allow the combination of air and surface forces to dominate operations through complimentary action.

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Pace and Tempo. Intelligence is only valuable if it can be exploited before it becomes outdated. The pace at which air power operations can be generated allows information to be exploited whilst it still has currency, thus impacting on the overall tempo of operations. The Decision/Action cycle or Observation/Orientation/ Decision/Action loop is described in Chapter 4. Tempo is defined as the rhythm or rate of operations relative to the enemy. It consists of three elements: speed of decision, speed of execution and speed of transition from one activity to the next. Air power assets can be fuelled and armed, made ready for operations and held on alert, operated around the clock, deployed on widely differing tasks and re-deployed to different locations quickly. Payload. Design characteristics such as aerodynamic drag considerations, the space available for weapons or cargo and the limitations of weapons stations and underwing hard points constrain what can be loaded on to an air vehicle. Nevertheless, a small payload, when delivered in a timely fashion, or with great precision, can often produce significant military effect. It is important, therefore, to concentrate air power against decisive points. So, despite the limited payload that may be delivered, an enemys centre of gravity at either the strategic or operational level, once identified, can quickly come under threat of disruption or destruction from the air.

OPERATION ALLIED FORCE - RAF Bruggen 1999

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Penetration. Air power systems can circumvent obstacles and penetrate deep into enemy territory. Space-based surveillance systems are relatively invulnerable and can monitor the entire surface of the globe virtually unhindered. Air power is part of manoeuvre warfare, since air vehicles enjoy high levels of manoeuvre at all levels of warfare. Manoeuvre from the air and deep penetration can be combined to enhance the overall combat power of sea and land power. Perspective. The ability to offer a wide perspective of the battlespace from the air remains one of the defining characteristics of air power. The operating altitudes of aircraft and satellites allows military personnel to gain a general picture of an area of interest rapidly whilst giving them a different perspective of the whole area of operations which extends beyond the area or horizon of immediate interest. Poise and Stand-Off. The range of modern air systems enables them to loiter in the air or wait on the ground near to a potential area of operations. Long range aircraft can, therefore, have an influence from hundreds or even thousands of miles away, while the despatch of aircraft near to an area of crisis demonstrates commitment and resolve. Reach. Air vehicles can project military power over great distances, unconstrained by the physical barriers of topography. The range at which air power can be used from bases, either ashore or afloat, can be extended by the use of AAR. AAR allows the radius of action and/or time on task to be extended many times over. This reach allows air power to strike at distant targets and to reach isolated locations whilst, if necessary, avoiding potential threats or restrictions both physical and political. Speed of Response. Air power is highly responsive. It can be deployed or redeployed as part of diplomatic initiatives. In war, aircraft can be redirected to respond to sudden changes in circumstances, on widely dispersed fronts, to synchronise firepower and complement the manoeuvre of surface forces. Sustainability. Sustainability is more than logistics. It includes manpower, equipment and logistics. Logistics is the function which ensures or denies the effectiveness of air power; it influences the tempo, duration and intensity of an operation and is the principal determinant of the ability of a force to achieve and maintain the necessary level of air power required to meet objectives. In its broadest sense it encompasses all activities necessary for the employment of air power embracing production logistics, consumer logistics and movement. Success in logistics is measured by the extent to which the right quantity of the right item is found at the right time and in the right condition. Sustainability and the importance of logistics to the delivery of air power is discussed in detail in Chapter 10.

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The range at which air power can be used from bases, either ashore or afloat, can be extended by the use of air-to-air refuelling.
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Tasking. If air power is to be concentrated in time and space to allow concentration of force, it follows that air assets should normally be controlled centrally at the appropriate level in the command chain. This concept is explained in Chapter 3. In order to prioritise distribution of the available assets to the various arms conducting the battle, the air tasking order (ATO) system has been devised. This process begins before missions are assigned to individual assets, but tasking may permit flexibility to attack targets of opportunity. Should targets be detected which are not reflected in the ATO, assets may need to be rapidly switched to new targets. Therefore, as Chapter 3 makes clear, timings within the tasking cycle should be viewed as guidance and not dogma; a mission command challenge for air planners is to continually balance and be prepared to switch priorities as circumstances change - particularly when assets are scarce.

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Ubiquity of Space. Space-based satellite sensors are now pervasive in support of modern warfare. Modern technology allows space-based surveillance and reconnaissance sensors to see through bad weather, camouflage and decoy measures. Selective use of satellite orbits can minimise the difficulties caused by terrain screening. It may be possible to change orbits so that sensors look at the area on which a commander seeks information. Space operations are discussed in more detail in Chapter 4.

Air Power and the Principles of War

The air power considerations which apply to a particular set of operational circumstances will also need to be factored into a campaign plan in accordance with the Principles of War. The Principles of War have endured since the eighteenth century. Various amendments have been made in accordance with historical experience, and the Principles require continual examination in the light of new technical and scientific developments. This is a dynamic process which may shift the relative importance of one more than another. The desired outcome of applying Principles of War is the most effective employment of military force anywhere within the spectrum of conflict. The ten Principles of War recognised by the UK are covered in detail in British Defence Doctrine and reflect the particular history, circumstances and experience of the UK. They are:
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Selection and maintenance of the aim. Maintenance of morale. Security. Surprise. Offensive action. Concentration of force. Economy of effort. Flexibility. Cooperation. Sustainability.

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The value of the Principles of War as a guide to commanders will depend on the understanding of the individual commander, his knowledge of operational art and his skill in applying the principles within a particular operational context. While the relative importance of each principle will depend on circumstances, successful application of the Principles of War requires sound military judgement. Failure to take account of these hard-won lessons can lead to mission failure. There are slight differences in the interpretation of these principles within the maritime, land and air environments. History shows how the Principles of War apply to air power:4
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Selection and Maintenance of the Aim. In the conduct of war and all military operations, it is essential to select and define the aim with absolute clarity before joint or multinational air operations begin. Once the military aim is decided, all efforts must be directed at achieving the aim unless the situation changes and re-appreciation requires the commander to adopt a new or modified aim. Every plan of action at every level for the exploitation of air power must be tested by the extent to which it contributes to the achievement of the military aim at the next highest level of command. This leads ultimately to the accomplishment of the overall military aim and hence to the fulfilment of the political aim and the desired end-state. It follows therefore that:
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The military objectives, which should be attainable, must be directed to achieving the political aim and the intended strategic end-state. Commanders at all levels must know exactly what they are required to achieve and must make that quite clear to their appropriate subordinates. They should not waste effort on courses of action which do not directly, or indirectly, contribute to the attainment of their aim. Air tasks, roles and missions must be consistent and coherent with the overall strategy and campaign plan. This process is known as strategy-to-task. Further details are in Chapter 3.

Maintenance of Morale. Success in all forms of war depends more on morale than on material conditions. Morale is a mental state but is very sensitive to material conditions. It is based on a clear understanding of the aim, on training and on discipline and is immediately responsive to effective leadership. It is adversely affected by inferior or inefficient equipment and depends to a large degree on sound administration. Outstanding leadership will sustain high morale when all other factors are against it and success in battle is the best stimulant of morale.

See Chapter 14 - Further Reading - for more details.

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Security. A degree of security by physical protection and information denial is essential to all operations. Security should enable friendly forces to achieve their objective despite the enemys interference. Active measures include the defence of airfields, aircraft carriers, forward operating strips and entry points. Further details are contained in Chapter 9. Surprise. Surprise action can achieve results out of all proportion to the effort expended. In air operations, when other factors are unfavourable to friendly forces, surprise might be essential to achieve mission success. Air power can achieve surprise strategically, operationally, tactically, or by exploiting new technologies, material or techniques. The elements of surprise are secrecy, concealment, deception, originality, audacity and speed. All apply to the exploitation of air power at all levels of military activity. Offensive Action. Offensive action is the chief means open to a commander to influence the outcome of a campaign or operation. Air power remains geared to undertake offensive operations. It would be virtually impossible to achieve a military aim without taking the offensive. Although defensive actions may have to be fought, ultimate success will probably depend on the offensive use of available forces. Offensive air action embodies a state of mind that brings the determination to gain and maintain the initiative and withhold it from the enemy. Concentration of Force. To achieve success in war it is essential to concentrate superior force against the enemy at the decisive time and place - another enduring quality of air power. Concentration does not mean that forces must be massed at one place, but rather that they should be deployed in such a way that an enemy threat could be countered or a decisive blow could be delivered. Concentration of sufficient forces to achieve the decisive or most important task at the time is the cardinal principle in the employment of air power in war and conflict. This principle may entail the employment of all available forces. Economy of Effort. The corollary of concentration of force is economy of effort. It is impossible to be strong everywhere and if decisive strength is to be concentrated at the most critical time and place, there must be no wasteful expenditure of effort where it cannot have a significant impact on the issue at hand. Economy of effort implies that the correct air power weapons systems need to be matched to the task (in what is termed matching strategy to task) and that forces allocated to a task need to be carefully balanced.

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Flexibility. Flexibility is one of the prime advantages of air power. Although the aim might not alter, a commander might be required to exercise judgement and flexibility by modifying plans to meet changing circumstances, take advantage of fleeting opportunities or shift the main effort of the joint campaign or air operations. Flexibility demands trust, good training, organisation, discipline, staff work and rapid decision-making when time is of the essence. To be flexible requires sustainability and a degree of mobility, which ensures that redeployments can take place both rapidly and economically, so that the weight of effort can be altered as required. Cooperation. Cooperation entails the co-ordination of all activities to achieve the maximum combined effort from the whole. It is the means by which concentration of force with economy of effort can be achieved. Joint action is best achieved by the goodwill and desire to cooperate at all levels, not only within any one service but also among national services and allied forces. Only by full cooperation among services can the right balance of forces be achieved, and plans devised by the nominated joint force commander be effectively implemented. Sustainability. Sustainability encompasses all aspects of the physical, moral and spiritual maintenance of a force. Sustainability is more than logistics; it encompasses all equipment, personnel and industrial support. As a Principle of War, sustainability develops force generation, deployment, operations in theatre, recovery to home base, recuperation and training. Sustainability is also the ability of a force to maintain the necessary fighting power, in this case combat air power, for the time needed to achieve military objectives. The physical and moral sustenance of personnel, the maintenance and repair of equipment and aircraft, the provision of combat supplies and expendable commodities and the treatment, evacuation and replacement of casualties are all aspects of sustainability. Without due regard for all aspects of sustainability, combat power could be reduced and mission success placed in jeopardy.

Manoeuvre and Attrition Warfare

Building on the Principles of War, the fundamental approach to warfare adopted by the British Armed Forces is the manoeuvrist approach to operations. Manoeuvre warfare is the employment of forces on the battlefield through movement combined with firepower to gain advantage over an opponent. Attritional warfare is conducted to reduce the effectiveness of enemy forces by destroying or reducing the personnel and the matriel which form part of that force. During the Cold War, plans for the conduct of joint and combined operations were based upon an attritional model. Whenever possible manoeuvre warfare will be the preferred approach, but the operational scenario may dictate an attritional strategy or a combination of both to achieve mission success.

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Key Functions of the Manoeuvrist Approach

At the operational level, the key functions of the manoeuvrist approach are:
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Shape the theatre of operations. Attack the enemys cohesion. Protect the cohesion of the force.

They are covered in greater detail in UK Doctrine for Joint and Multinational Operations (JWP 0-10). All apply to the effective exploitation of air power.

Air Power and the Manoeuvrist Approach

When the features of manoeuvre warfare are compared to the factors which need to be applied to the exploitation of air power, it is axiomatic that any exploitation of air power is inherently manoeuvrist. The air power characteristics of reach, ubiquity, speed of response and flexibility are relevant to manoeuvre at all levels of warfare. A manoeuvrist approach to air operations allows the employment of air power to achieve a position of decisive advantage. Air power can undertake manoeuvre operations alone, with land and maritime forces in support or in support of joint manoeuvre. Air power can bring a concentrated application of firepower to bear rapidly anywhere in the battlespace. With careful, joint, planning the speed and precision provided by fixed and rotary-wing air systems can be linked with surface manoeuvre and indirect fire, increasing the available combat power which might be applied to an enemys weak point. For manoeuvre to be successful at any level of warfare, there must be a culture among those involved which actively promotes initiative by encouraging freedom and speed of action.

Combat Air Power

British Defence Doctrine describes military capability in terms of a conceptual component, a moral component and a physical component. This provides a suitable model by which the concept of combat air power can be expressed. This concept is illustrated in the following diagram:

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Figure 2.1: The Concept of Air Power

The Conceptual Component The conceptual component is the thought process and teaching that underpin air power. The conceptual sources of air power are the history of air campaigns and operations and the lessons learned or identified from them, the Principles of War, air power doctrine, air strategy and campaign planning techniques which are all derived from experience and doctrine. This knowledge acts as a guide in the process of training and educating airmen, staff officers and current and future commanders at all levels. This volume is part of that process. The Moral Component The ability to get people to fight penetrates to the very core of air power. Armed Forces reflect the society they serve, but require a much greater degree of sacrifice and commitment than comparable professions. Volunteer air forces of mature democracies

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must rely on the support and contribution of regular, full and part time reserve forces, civilians and contractors to achieve mission success. There are three elements that merit consideration within the moral component:
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Leadership.
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The nature of leadership has been a source of debate throughout history, but there has never been any doubt about its importance as a war-winning factor. Inspirational leadership is one of the foremost elements in raising and sustaining morale, which has often proved to be a decisive ingredient in determining the outcome of military operations, even against the most overwhelming odds. Born leaders tend to be few, but a good proportion of the art of leadership can be learned, particularly from the example of others. Successful leadership can take many forms and styles both in the air and on the ground, but invariably includes professional mastery and moral courage. Study of history is seldom wasted if one wants to understand what makes a good leader. Historically, air forces have tended to foster an ethos which is different from those at sea or on land. Although all personnel on an airfield, aircraft carrier or forward operating strip may share the same dangers if attacked, only a small minority aircrew - directly and regularly engage in direct combat. Leadership in the air similarly takes many forms. At more senior levels of command, air leaders are isolated from the immediate air action by the centralisation of control that the efficient use of air power demands, fostering what can be perceived as a remote style of leadership.5 At all levels, air commanders must recognise that the largest proportion of their personnel provide support on the ground and that this generates additional but equally important demands on them as commanders. A fighting force in peacetime must provide the encouragement and the conditions in which leaders of different styles can thrive and develop.

Core Values. Core values are the permanent foundations on which the identity and purpose of the British Armed Forces are built and are a small number of ethically based principles which serve, in all circumstances, to guide the behaviour of members of the Service in a way which both furthers its purpose and is ethically sound. Just as the nature of warfare does not change, so the core values necessary for its successful and ethical prosecution have remained constant. Core values can be expressed in many ways, but will always include such recognisably military virtues as physical courage, total commitment and service before self. In addition, virtues such as integrity and moral courage are no less important to the armed forces of a nation which is pledged to uphold international laws and conventions relating to the use of military force. Core values capture the very essence of what is important to the

Vallance, A G B, The Air Weapon, (Macmillan Press and St Martins Press inc. 1996), p. 31-32.

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Service and those who serve within it, thereby engendering justifiable pride. Although important at all times, they are most valuable at times of extreme personal commitment, when together with leadership and training, they sustain and inspire personnel in circumstances which might otherwise overwhelm them.
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Education. Military education and personal development remain key requirements for the development of successful commanders. The study of military history is a fundamental element of professional education and should continue throughout an individuals service. Education can be guided by doctrine and training, but must be underpinned by personal commitment to professional development to develop an understanding of the considerations which apply to the exploitation of air power. Training and education do not stop with appointment to senior rank. This volume is part of the education process.

The Physical Component The physical component represents the means to fight and is bounded by the resources available to defence. The successful exploitation of British air power depends upon superior and timely information exploitation, a quicker decision/action cycle than that of the opponent and flexible and capable forces that can offer the rapid and precise application of air power across the spectrum of conflict. Combat air power must be supported by robust and sustainable logistics. It is the combination of civil, military and industrial resources to procure combat effective platforms and weapons systems in sufficient numbers which underpins the national means to exploit air power. If the potential of air power is not to be wasted, command and control considerations are extremely important. Command and control considerations are covered in Chapter 3.

Utility of Air Power

The challenges posed by the contemporary strategic environment and the factors and considerations which apply to air power shape the United Kingdoms core capabilities for the efficient and effective exploitation of air power. They are:
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Information Exploitation. Air and space vehicles can provide information through the gathering, collection, fusion and flow of data to inform joint and multinational operations around the spectrum of conflict. Control of the Air. Air power platforms and weapon systems provide the degree of control of the air required to ensure sufficient freedom of action for military operations. The degree of control required will depend on the context and the scale of the operation and may be limited in time and space. Control of the air may be achieved by denying an opponent access to his own airspace, or by denying the freedom of own airspace to an opponent.

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Strategic Effect. Air power can be employed for strategic effect on targets at all levels of warfare and all scales of conflict. Missions for strategic effect may be tasked distinct from theatre operations. Air power roles for strategic effect are not limited to bombardment or attack missions, but may encompass several role and mission types. Joint Force Employment. Air power has great utility in indirect and direct air operations to enable joint or combined military operations. Indirect air operations can shape and prepare the battlespace for surface forces, while direct air operations can prove decisive in concentrating force and allowing manoeuvre from the air to complement rotary-air and surface force manoeuvre. Combat Support Air Operations. Combat support air operations are pervasive in the support of all joint and multinational operations. Air power can be used to enhance many forms of combat power by undertaking a wide range of combat support missions. Force Protection. Force protection has air and ground elements and is an essential element of all air operations. Sustainability. The ability to exploit air power effectively depends on sustainability. Sustainability is an all-embracing concept which includes manpower, equipment and logistics.

Part Two examines the core capabilities of air power in detail to provide a greater understanding of how to exploit air power in a wide variety of roles and missions across the spectrum of conflict.

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