1. Application of Air power

2. Air Power
“The ability to use platforms operating in or passing through the air for military purposes”

3. Strengths of Air Power Height
Aircraft can operate over a wide range of heights
and so have the ability to observe and control
activities on the ground.
Speed
The enormous speed of modern aircraft means:
Deployable to any part of the world very quickly.
Missions can be completed in shorter times.
Aircraft spend less time over the target which
reduces their exposure to hostile fire.

4. Strengths of Air Power Reach
Air power has a much greater reach than either
land or sea forces and is unaffected by terrain.
Air-To-Air Refuelling enhances reach.
All-encompassing
Air power can counter or pose simultaneous
threats across a far wider geographical area
than either land or sea forces.

5. Height Speed Reach All-encompassing Flexibility Response Concentration
Strengths of Air Power
Height
Speed
Reach
All-encompassing
Flexibility
Response
Concentration

6. Limitations of Air Power
Airborne time
Limited payloads
Fragility

7. Other considerations with Air Power
Cost
Dependency on bases
Sensitivity to light and weather
Sensitivity to technology

8. Application of Air Power
Preservation of Peace
Managing International Crisis
Wartime Applications

9. Preserving Peace Promoting International Relations
When disaster strikes in whatever form - famine,
flood or earthquake - speed of response is vital
to save lives.
Military transport aircraft can deliver rapid relief in
the early stages of any natural disaster even into
rough fields or by airdrop.

10. Preserving Peace
Hercules delivering food and supplies for famine relief.

11. Preserving Peace Providing Reassurance
Air power can also be used to avert a possible
threat to peace.
It can provide surveillance and reconnaissance to
reassure nations that potential aggressors are not
about to attack.
Furthermore, air power can be used to monitor
arms control agreements and peace treaties.

12. Managing International Crisis
Warning
Air power can be used to give prior warning of an
intended act of aggression and so allow preparations
to take place that may prevent it.
Aircraft like the E3D Sentry, Sentinel and Rivet Joint
can be used to detect these acts.

13. Managing International Crisis
Signalling
Air power can be used to give clear political signals to
other nations about your intentions.
By increasing alert states and intensifying peacetime
training missions, a nation can clearly indicate its
willingness to fight.

14. Managing International Crisis
Supporting Friends
Air power can provide prompt and long range
physical support to friends and allies.
Falklands War
Oman Insurgence
Belize Conflict

15. Managing International Crisis
International Rescue
Air power gives the ability to mount rescue
operations in crisis situations.
Such operations however, tend to involve high
risk and demand the most careful planning.
Tehran Embassy
Entebbe
Saigon Embassy Staff

16. Managing International Crisis
Inject Stability
Air power can be used to place land forces into
regions threatened with civil disorder, or into
areas of local military conflict.
Bosnia
Iraq
Afghanistan

17. Managing International Crisis
Deterrence
With the deployment of air power to areas of high
tension, a potential aggressor may well be
deterred from further action.

18. Managing International Crisis
Punishment
If necessary, air power can be used for precise
punishment operations, short of all-out war.

19. Wartime Applications Surveillance
In war, observation of the enemy is essential for
the planning and successful execution of military
operations.
To discover an enemy’s intentions means that
effective counter measures can be taken to
minimise risk and save lives.

20. Wartime Applications Destruction
Air power’s most obvious wartime application is to
destroy.
The ability to concentrate massive firepower gives
air power enormous potential for destruction.

21. Wartime Applications Control By Force
Any state which faces an opponent with strong
air power has to accept the fact that they are
vulnerable to attack at any moment, and that any
conflict can escalate into war very rapidly.
Limited, but effective use of air power may be
sufficient to force countries into negotiations
to reach a settlement.
Denial
Air power can also be used to deny an enemy the
ability to use its own air, land and sea power
effectively.

22. Wartime Applications Diversion And Delay
By concentrating air attacks on sensitive targets,
an enemy may be forced into using precious
resources in defensive duties, instead of having
these resources for use in offensive operations.
Bombing Raids on Germany in WWII
Air attacks can also be used to slow down an
enemy’s advance, so that extra time can be given
to organise defences.

23. Wartime Applications
In a similar way, delaying an enemy’s retreat could
give attacking forces more time to press home the
attack and prevent the enemy’s escape.
Demoralisation
Air attacks have always had a particularly sapping
effect on morale, almost irrespective of the damage
done.

24. Air Strategy Combat Air Operations
Combat air operations are those that use air
power, in combat situations, to achieve specific
objectives.
Iraq War II
Vietnam War
Iraq War I
Falklands War

25. Air Strategy Combat Support Air Operations
Combat-support air operations are noncombat,
flying operations that support the effective fighting
capability of air, land and sea forces.
Surveillance
Air-To-Air Refuelling
Air Transport
Support Helicopters

26. Air Strategy Ground Combat Support Operations
Ground combat-support operations are basically
non-flying operations needed to support air
operations.
Servicing
Guarding
Freight Handling
Feeding
Logistics
Passenger handling
Armaments
Administration

27. Preserving Peace Promoting International Relations
Providing Reassurance

28. Managing International Crisis
Warning
Signalling
Supporting Friends
International Rescue
Inject Stability
Deterrence
Punishment

29. Wartime Applications Surveillance Destruction Control by Force Denial
Diversion & Delay
Demoralisation

30. Air Strategy Combat Air Operations Combat Support Air Operations
Ground Combat Support Operations