1. Air Power – Lesson 3 Combat Air Operations
Learning Objective: Know About Combat Air Operations
Introduce combat air operations for Control of the Air
List the principles of Controlling the Air
Explain Offensive counter air operations
Explain Defensive counter air operations
In previous lessons we have learnt about the UK’s joint force doctrine related to using air power in peacetime and during armed conflict, and the characteristcs, in terms of strengths and limitations, of using air power assets. We turn now to the ‘sharp end of air power – Combat Air Operations.
But before we do, let’s refresh our memories on some of those earlier principles… next slide/instructor notes

2. RECAP: What the Air Power key characteristics?
STRENGTHS
LIMITATIONS
Height
Speed
Reach
All-encompassing (Ubiquity)
Flexibility (Agility)
[Response]
[Concentration]
Airborne time (impermanence)
Limited payloads
Fragility
CONSIDERATIONS
Cost
Basing
Light/Weather
Technology
The unique characteristics of the air environment provide air power with different strengths and weaknesses from maritime and land power. Many of these characteristics are complementary, which is why joint operations, when properly synchronised and executed, can be so effective. However, before a joint approach can be implemented, the fundamentals of what makes the air environment so different must be understood and this begins with understanding the associated attributes. The attributes of air power are:
height; speed; reach; agility; and ubiquity.
Height. The air environment overlays both the land and maritime environments and offers those that operate within it the opportunity to exploit the vertical dimension. The advantage of height is an enduring military reality, as it allows us to observe and control activities in the maritime and land environments, offering significant strategic and operational utility. At the tactical level, height can put aircraft out of the vertical range of many surface threats and affords the ability to manoeuvre in three dimensions, helping to enhance survivability.
Speed. The speed of aircraft enables air power to exploit the dimension of time, which can lead to significant military advantage. In cases where a swift response to a crisis is required, aircraft enable the rapid deployment of troops and equipment, or can attack a target, in a matter of hours, rather than days. Speed also allows air power to capitalise on the element of surprise and reduces aircraft exposure to hostile fire.
Reach. About 70% of the Earth’s surface is water, but all of it is covered by air, and since aircraft are not impeded by natural terrain or physical barriers, they can theoretically access any point on or above the Earth’s surface. The reach of air power therefore provides the opportunity to observe and influence operations in the maritime and land environments, regardless of their location.
Agility. Underpinned by the multi-role, multi-mission capabilities of many aircraft, air power is highly agile. It can be shifted quickly and decisively between the strategic, operational and tactical levels of warfare, just as the point of application can be shifted across more than one theatre of operation.26 The scale and scope of activities can be adjusted, in terms of weight of effort or type of operation, even whilst aircraft are airborne.27 Threats can be countered and opportunities exploited, as and when they arise, by flexing air capabilities between roles and missions.
Ubiquity. The combination of height, speed and reach of air power, and its increasing persistence, enabled by air-to-air refuelling and high endurance unmanned aircraft, offer the theoretical potential to be everywhere, hence the attribute of ubiquity. This enables aircraft to pose or counter threats simultaneously and across a far wider area than surface capabilities, offering the ability to deliver overwhelming force whenever and wherever it is required.

3. Recap: What are the Roles of Air Power?
Control of the Air
Intelligence Surveillance Recce
Attack
Air Mobility
ELICIT FROM CLASS:
There are four fundamental roles of air power: control of the air; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; attack; and air mobility
Link Question: Which of these roles could be fulfilled by “Combat Air Operations”?
Answer: Control of the Air, and Attack

4. Combat Air Operations Controlling the Air Executing Attack
“Combat Air Operations” is a slightly outdated concept today, as NATO doctrine speaks more in terms of joint application of military assets to achieve tasks. However, we can attribute two key principles of Combat Air operations as firstly to secure control of the air, and secondly to execute attack missions.
In this lesson, we focus on Control of the Air

5. [Favourable Air Situation]
Control of the Air
“freedom, over a given period of time, to use a volume of airspace for our own purposes while, if necessary, denying or constraining its use by an opponent” AP3002, Edition 3
[Favourable Air Situation]
Air Superiority
Air Supremacy
Control of the Air underpins all air operations, as it secures freedom of action in the air domain, while limiting or denying it use by the enemy. This is the Role of Air Power that is the primary protection of the UK and its Overseas Territories and deployed forces safe as a defence against air attack. The official definition is on the slide [click to reveal]
Control of the Air is not a permanent state. If you think back to the characteristics of air power, this is obvious: Why? [Answer – owing ot the impermanance of air power – can discuss if time]
The slide shows, in descending order of control, the two agreed degrees of control in NATO Doctrine: Air Supremacy, where an opposing ar force is incapable of mounting interference, and Air Superiority, which permits the conduct of operations at a given time and place without prohibitive interference
In the ATC Syllabus, there is discussion on creating a “Favourable Air Situation” – this is now an outdated concept but you might see that it comes up as an exam question. It used to be defined as having localised air superiority for a short space of time.
We control the air through two main approaches: Offensive activities, and Defensive activities

6. Offensive Counter Air Suppression of enemy air defences Fighter sweep
Escort
Counter Air Operations include all actions taken to gain and maintain control the required degree of control of the air. They target an enemy’s air capability as close to the source as possible, are proactive and seek to dominate the adversary’s airspace. Offensive counter air missions can be mounted by manned or unmanned aircraft, land artillery, cruise missiles or special forces
Offensive Counter-Air Missions can be broken into
Surface Attack Operations, including attacking airfields, air defences, command and control facilities – killing the enamy ari capability while it is on the ground [ELICIT – discuss targets: aircraft, fuel dumps, missile batteries, maintenance facilities, runways, hangars/HAS]
SEAD is a specific mission profile to neutralise, destroy or temporarily degrade enemy ground-based air defence, including by electronic attack methods
Fighter Sweep, an offensive Air Defence mission seeking to clear and sanitise an airspace of potential enemy air-to-air threat
Fighter Escort, is use of AD assets to accompany vulnerable aircrfat packages on missions such as inserting troops into drop zones, resupply missions, or bomber forces en route to their targets
High Value Airborne (HVA) Asset Protection, is the specific allocation of AD fighters to protect AWACS or AEW assets, which are extremely valuable and vulnerable and thus prime targets for the enemy anti-air capability; ATC syllabus also considers this an “escort” task
IF TIME AVAILABLE…
Can discuss how SEAD suppression can be conducted in a number of ways:
Area Suppression for a specific period of time
Localised Suppression – very confined geographical areas associated with specific ground targets or friendly transit routes, delivering highly localised control of the air
Corridor Suppression – ang a narrow section or route of airspace for a designated period of time to allow transit of friendly aircraft
Direct support – SEAD-armed aircraft accompanying a strike package and dealing with any AD threats as they arise on a non-cleared route
Opportune Suppression – usually unplanned, includes self-defence by crews against targets of opportunity
Airfield attack

7. Defensive Counter Air (1)
Objective of DCA:
To protect friendly forces and vital interests from hostile air and missile attacks, or
To reduce the effects of such attacks if they reach friendly targets
DCA uses both active and passive Air Defence (AD) measures
DCA missions are generally more reactive in nature and see to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of enemy air and missile threats, through active or passive measures.

8. Defensive Counter Air (2)
Active air defence measures
Detection system
Command and control system
Weapons system (aircraft, missiles)
Passive air defence measures:
Camouflage, Concealment, Deception
Hardening/protection
Reconstitution
CBRN
DCA missions are generally more reactive in nature and see to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of enemy air and missile threats, through active or passive measures.
Active Measures:
Methods of detection, identification, interception and engagement, including Rules of Engagement, usually characterised by a layered ‘defence-in-depth’ providing for multiple engagement opportunities.
[ELICIT from class what that might look like] – long range radar detection and identification, integrated fighter control procedures, AD fighters on Combat Air Patrol or high-alert readiness (i.e. QRA), Surface to Air Missile (SAM) weapons systems defending valuable targets – and with back ups behind the first lines of defence so that anything getting through the initial barriesrs might still be stopped.
Passive Measures:
Includes everything else taken to minimise the effect of an attack – linking early warning systems from the AD identification activities to the potential ground targets, individual and collective protection, dispersal of assets, camouflage, concealment, deception and dummy positions, hardening (i.e. HAS to provide ballistic protection), stealth technologies, radio and RF energy disciplime – control of lights at night (blackout). Rconstitution is important – a determined attack will stil get through to have some effect, in all likelhood, so other passive measures include the ability rapidly to get back into action: post attack reconnaissance, clearing unexploded ordnance, filling in bomb craters, fire fighting, casualty evacuation, protection agsint CBRN weapons, redundancy – i.e. having alternative facilities/assets available and fallback systems (e.g. C2 nodes).
Note: much of the Passive Defence measures can be done in preparation for war, just as mission rehearsals allow for practice of active measures and offensive counter-air missions: passive defence is a peacetime preparatory function and relies on good training for individuals to develop good collective skills.

9. Combat Air Operations: Control of the Air
Summary and Recap
Combat Air Operations:
Control of the Air
Learning Objective: Know About Combat Air Operations
Introduce combat air operations for Control of the Air
List the principles of Controlling the Air
Explain Offensive counter air operations
Explain Defensive counter air operations

10. Questions? Questions to class:
What are the four roles of air power? Control of the Air; ISR; Attack; Mobility
What are the two categories that Combat Air Operations fall into? Control of the Air, and Executing Attack
List Offensive Counter Air Missions: Surface Attack Operations; SEAD; Fighter Sweep; Fighter Escort; High Value Airborne (HVA) Asset Protection;
List the components of Defensive Counter Air system: ACTIVE (Detect & ID, C2 of weapons system, weapons system of aircraft and missiles; PASSIVE (Cam/Conceal/Deception, Reconstitution, CBRN defence
LOOK FORWARD – Next Lesson on Executing Attack