ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses the development of air power and its strengths and weaknesses and to determine its role in the current strategic environment. The exploitation of heavier-than-air aircraft in the twentieth century changed the character of warfare in a lasting fashion. Aircraft not only transport equipment and supplies, they can also project military power through the use of airmobile and airborne forces. The former primarily refers to the movement of forces via helicopters. Aircraft are often at the forefront of developments in military technology. Hence, air power may be perceived as a measure of a state’s development, status, and power. In defence of air power, aircraft may be a welcome presence when they bring vital supplies, such as food and medical aid. The type of air power that each country developed during the interwar period was influenced by their respective strategic cultures and current strategic challenges.
