Air Power in the Age of Primacy: Air Warfare since the Cold War

Since the end of the Cold War, the US and other major powers have wielded their air forces against weaker state and non-state actors, leading to asymmetries of power, interest, and technology in air wars. This volume examines ten contemporary wars where air power played a major and at times decisive role, including the use of unmanned aircraft against global terrorist organizations.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 250 pages
Publication date: 16 December 2021
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Since the end of the Cold War, the United States and other major powers have employed their air forces against significantly weaker state and non-state actors. In this era of primacy, air wars have been contests between unequals, characterized by asymmetries of power, interest, and technology. This volume examines ten contemporary wars where air power played a major and, at times, decisive role. Its chapters explore the evolving use of unmanned aircraft against global terrorist organizations, as well as more conventional air conflicts in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Yemen, Syria, and against ISIS. Air superiority could be assumed during this unique and brief period when the international system was largely absent great power competition. However, the reliable and unchallenged employment of a spectrum of manned and unmanned technologies permitted in the age of primacy may not prove effective in future conflicts.

The United States and other major powers have wielded their air forces against much weaker state and non-state actors since the end of the Cold War. In this age of primacy, air wars have been contests between unequals and characterized by asymmetries of power, interest, and technology. This volume examines ten contemporary wars where air power played a major and, at times, decisive role. Its chapters explore the evolving use of unmanned aircraft against global terrorist organizations, as well as more conventional air conflicts in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Yemen, Syria, and against ISIS. Air superiority could be assumed during this unique and brief period when the international system was largely absent great power competition. However, the reliable and unchallenged employment of a spectrum of manned and unmanned technologies permitted in the age of primacy may not prove effective in future conflicts.

The United States and other major powers have employed their air forces against significantly weaker state and non-state actors since the end of the Cold War. In this era of primacy, air wars have been contests between unequals, characterized by asymmetries of power, interest, and technology. This volume examines ten contemporary wars where air power played a major and, at times, decisive role. Its chapters explore the evolving use of unmanned aircraft against global terrorist organizations, as well as more conventional air conflicts in Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Libya, Yemen, Syria, and against ISIS. Air superiority could be assumed during this unique and brief period when the international system was largely absent great power competition. However, the reliable and unchallenged employment of a spectrum of manned and unmanned technologies permitted in the age of primacy may not prove effective in future conflicts.

Weight: 482g
Dimension: 157 x 228 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108984751
Edition number: New ed