ABSTRACT
As far as military innovations go, air power must be regarded as one of the most genuine and significant. It seems reasonable to argue that the exploitation of heavy than air aircraft in the twentieth century changed the character of warfare in a lasting fashion. Almost every conflict is now influenced, to a greater or lesser degree, by air power. Indeed, as Field Marshal Montgomery noted, the outcome of certain conflicts will be largely determined by who controls the skies: ‘If we lose the war in the air we lose the war and lose it quickly.’1 Nonetheless, it would be a mistake to assume that air power has become the decisive instrument in modern warfare. As noted in the Introduction to this book, strategy is a complex, multidimensional activity. That being the case, to identify any one factor as being decisive is an oversimplification. In light of this, the current chapter seeks to analyse the development of air power, its strengths and weaknesses, and determine its role in the current strategic environment.
