The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has made it clear just how vital air superiority is for NATO in any military engagement.
General James Hecker, Commander Allied Air Command, has made clear that achieving air superiority is crucial for the success of air operations.
In the upcoming live-fly exercise, Ramstein Flag 2024, scheduled for October in Greece, air superiority will be a primary focus for participants from 13 Allied nations. “Training Allied forces to establish air superiority is a key requirement,” said General Hecker.
He pointed out that deterrence by denial is essential and relies on well-equipped and trained forces that can succeed in combat. “The air component does not simply pursue air superiority for its own sake,” he explained in a recent commentary for U.S. Air University. “Air superiority is not just the first thing we work toward; it typically remains our top priority.”
Historical examples, such as the combined bomber offensive in World War II, show the severe costs associated with a stalemate in the air. General Hecker warned that any operational changes must not limit the air component’s freedom to act or its ability to support ground operations.
He added, “When asking what force posture provides a credible deterrent, the answer is to be able to readily demonstrate that NATO possesses the forces it would take to forcibly deny the adversary their objectives.” This approach is particularly important, as authoritarian regimes may not be deterred by global disapproval of military actions.
General Hecker also discussed the need for a balanced effort, noting that NATO countries cannot rely solely on high-end military capabilities. “The proliferation of low-cost threats makes engagement with high-end weapon systems unsustainable,” he cautioned.
“Our Alliance has tangible strengths in this area,” he concluded, highlighting the diverse capabilities derived from various national defence industries. Achieving interoperability from the beginning is crucial for maintaining NATO’s effectiveness in operations.
For more insights, you can read the full article here.
He is afraid that missiles take over his shining aircraft that takes 30 years to develop, costs billions and decades to reach full operational capability.
Oh and can only be build about an hundred a year.
Nothing else achieves air superiority than the inherent flexibility of air power.
fabulous summary Robert!
Short and sweet. Hope you are well mate.
tickety boo Sir- spring has sprung here in NZ (well, kind of).Trust all is good in your world Robert .
I have the post holiday blues after a fabulous trip to the States to be honest. First world problems eh. ha.
lucky man!😃
Interestingly seems that Airbus and Lockheed drop out of UK medium helicopter competition.
Surprised being first to get news here. Was this posted already? Did not found it.
So Leonardo with AW 149 is the only one.
I am surprised that the Journal hasn’t covered this story. As it is pretty significant. Both the Airbus and Sikorsky statements says they can’t meet the UK requirement. Which I think is down to the workshare agreement. But probably also includes the rumored cut to 25 airframes. Which makes the work share untenable.
the UK should make delivery and manufacturing needs in every deal it makes.
No, I too was surprised there was no article here.
Make an offer to the Aussies to buy their second hand NH90s.😉
No thanks!!
cant blame you guys for that! 😅
Croatia HIMARS posted but this one not make it even more strange.
AW149 has already been choosen
Source?
Probably since the competition began.
Awaiting the inevitable
cut to airframe numbers
This is not entirely relevant, but I don’t know when an appropriate article would come up for me to ask this:
What is the heaviest anti-ship missile that could be fired from a FFG/DDG’s Lynx, and then which is the heaviest that could be fired from a Merlin?
Lynx maybe Marte MK2- it was fired from AB-212(Italian variant of Huey with 2 PT6 engine). This missile have had lots of variants from 1970, so i don’t know what is the weight of last recent version.
Merlin, maybe Exocet.
The Italian Navy use the Marte 2 from their Merlins. It don’t believe anything heavier has been trialed. As Merlin has a similar lift capability as the Super Puma, it should be able to carry a pair of Exocets.
Our Merlins are not equiped to use any weapons other than lightweight ASW torpedos & machine guns. Our “Lynx” are Wildcats now & the Lynx is retired.
Interesting times.
How many drones can you buy for the cost of one attack helicopter?
What’s the cost of the fast jet strength of the Russian Air Force versus the cost of the Ukrainian air defence systems which keep them out of the skies of Ukraine?
How does stealth impact the viability of ground based air defence?
What’s the economics of building large quantities of cheap drones versus the economics of manufacturing expensive SAM’s?
Certainly needs thinking about. I’m not sure a reiteration of what went before is going to cut it.
That is one of main questions. Note that the costs are not only the device: it is the the training, , production, upgrades, replacements and how fast can you cycle all of that and how much you can increase production. For me one of the major problems i see with aircraft is that a 1000-10000 euro drone can destroy a +100M(including training and everything else) one in airbase that is known its location, and getting replacements are a problem even outside the cost equation. In the past you had more bullets than enemy soldiers, now you can have more drones… Read more »
looking at the dismal performance in the Ukraine, NATO will have air superiority without even launching a aircraft.
Obvious statement, but a reminder not for NATO to take it eye off the game. Imagen that Russian column outside Kiev if it had been facing a Nato force
Air superiority is the essential cornerstone in any peer conflict. If the enemy cannot achieve parity in the air, all its land forces, lines of communication, military installations, manufacturing plants and strategic civil sites are going to be rapidly degraded by NATO air. We are apt to look on Russia as the main threat and take comfort from Russian air’s less than stellar performance in Ukraine, plus their failure to get a 5th generation aircraft into production. But the military planner has to factor in that the threat that the West may in future face a new autocratic axis, led… Read more »