With aircraft patrolling no-fly zones over Iraq and Bosnia, and Space Command satellites monitoring situations around the globe, it’s easy to visualize the concept of air and space superiority. The control over what moves through air and space provides a fundamental benefit to joint forces. It prevents adversaries from interfering with operations of air, space or surface forces, and ensures freedom of action and movement. When Iraqi aircraft try to roam outside their allowed airspace, it’s Air Force E-3 AWACS and F-15 Eagle aircraft that keep them under control.
Strategic attack and interdiction — crucial to the outcome of any battle — are not possible without air superiority. Effective surface maneuvering is impossible without it. So is efficient logistics. The bottom line is everything on the battlefield is at risk without air and space superiority. In Desert Storm, it was total air dominance that played a major role in such a decisive victory and contributed to low casualty rates.
The control of air and space will continue to allow forces freedom from attack and freedom to attack. With air and space superiority, the joint force will dominate enemy operations in all dimensions — land, sea, air and space. In Kosovo, our forces and our NATO allies keep peace and security intact, in part, through control of air and space.
With newer and better ways of attaining air and space superiority on the horizon, like the F/A-22 Raptor, our forces will continue to maintain a keen edge over adversaries. In the 21st century, technology will make it possible to find, track and target anything that moves on the Earth’s surface — critical for the expeditionary aerospace force.