Introduction to Air Force
Air Force, the air arm of a nation's military forces, usually separately organized as coequal with the army and the navy. The striking power of an air force is based on airplanes and missiles. Armies and navies may also employ airplanes and missiles for specific purposes. An air force comprises of pilots and other personnel, aircraft, support equipment, and military bases. Some air forces possess guided missiles and spacecrafts as well.
Air forces have four principal missions:
The Concept of Air Power
The concept of an air force's missions as described above developed as technological progress increased the scope of the airplane. During the rapid development of aviation after World War I, such men as General Giulio Douhet of Italy and General William Mitchell of the United States foresaw the increasing importance of strategic air power. They envisioned that aerial bombardment would be so decisive a factor in warfare that armies and navies would be obsolete—that they would not even have time to mobilize once war began.
The destruction caused by aerial bombs in World War II was widespread, yet bombing was not as decisive as Douhet and Mitchell had predicted. Cities were largely destroyed by bombs, but nations continued to fight. Land and naval forces still played a major role in warfare. Nevertheless, air power became increasingly important as military leaders realized that strategic bombing could severely reduce a nation's capacity to make war.
With the growth of strategic air power came a corresponding growth in defensive air power. The greater the potential of aerial attack, the more important it became to prevent enemy bombers from reaching their targets. Superiority in the air came to be an accepted military doctrine.
The German invasion of Poland at the beginning of World War II demonstrated the effectiveness of tactical air support for ground forces. Carrier-based aircraft played an important part in supporting American troop landings in the World War II Pacific campaigns.
The capture of Crete by German paratroops in 1941 was a striking example of the effectiveness of logistical employment of air power. Throughout World War II, airplanes were used to bring troops, weapons, ammunition, and supplies quickly to areas where they were needed.
The concept of air power underwent a radical change in 1945 with the development of the atomic bomb. Two such bombs were dropped on Japan by American bombers, and within days Japan surrendered. The strategic bomber, armed with nuclear weapons, seemingly possessed the power to win wars singlehandedly.
Another development—the long-range bombardment missile, pioneered by Germany during the war—soon promised to provide an even more effective method of delivering nuclear weapons to their targets. “Push-button warfare,” making not only armies and navies, but also air forces obsolete, seemed possible.
The awesome destructive capability of the nuclear weapons accumulated by the Soviet Union (and inherited by its successor state, Russia) and the United States, however, thus far has served to prevent their use. When the United States in 1962 demanded the removal of Soviet missiles from Cuba, the Soviet Union dismantled its missile bases on the island rather than risk nuclear war. While both sides in the Cold War refrained from using nuclear weapons, there were numerous “limited wars” in which conventional air power was employed.
Thus, air forces must be prepared for a twofold role—to fight “limited wars” with conventional weapons and to be capable of immediately delivering the immensely more destructive nuclear weapons to their targets in the event of all-out war.
The organization of air forces is such that the leader of the independent air force may be a chief of staff or air marshal and hold the rank of a general. In the U.S Air Force, the highest authority is the secretary of the Air Force who is appointed by the President. In smaller countries the air force is often controlled by the army or navy.The basic administrative unit is known as the squadron, which comprises of aircraft of one type or model. Most fighter and attack squadrons have around 18 to 24 assigned aircraft that are clubbed into smaller units of 2 to 4 planes known as flights. Bomber squadrons have 10 to 19 assigned aircraft. Two or more squadrons form groups or wings. In bigger air forces these units at times come together to form larger divisions or commands.
Weapons and Equipment
Intercontinental and intermediate-range nuclear missiles are currently the ultimate weapons to be used in strategic air war of major proportions. But many short-range missiles that may be used in “limited wars” have also been developed. Missiles may be launched from the ground or from an aircraft. Ground launched missiles comprise of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM's) and intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBM's). The ICBM’s can deliver a nuclear warhead to a target up to 9,200 miles (15,000 kilometers) away. The IRBM’s on the other hand reach from around 1,700 to 3,400 miles (2,700 to 5,500 kilometers). The ICBM’s is guided by the air force in countries like the U.S. In countries like China and Russia however, these missiles fall under a separate command. Ground-launched antiballistic missiles (ABM's), enable Air forces to guard against ballistic missile attacks. Air launched missiles comprise of strategic as well as tactical missiles. Air launched strategic missiles such as the cruise missiles are launched by bombers. The tactical air-to-air missiles on the other hand are launched by fighters and helicopters. The various kinds of missiles are described in the article Missiles and Rockets, section “Military Missiles.”
The aircraft an air force uses in carrying out its missions, classified according to function, include fighters, bombers (tactical and strategic), transports, trainers, and reconnaissance craft. Carrier-based planes, though usually assigned to the control of the navy rather than the air force, are also considered part of a nation's air power. Attack and fighter aircraft are designed are designed for speed and maneuverability in combat. These generally have a crew of one or two and carry missiles or bombs. These attack enemy planes and ground targets or defend against air attacks.
Bombers are mostly large, medium range or long range planes that carry bombs and guided missiles to strike strategic targets. Only a few nations with powerful air forces have bombers. Bomber crews are mostly about four to six in range.Transport aircraft are used to carry troops and cargo. Its crew includes a pilot, copilot, navigator, flight engineer, and one or more loadmasters responsible for the cargo or passengers.
Reconnaissance aircraft carry cameras or electronic sensors used for gathering information about enemy forces. These comprise of airplanes designed for reconnaissance and altered versions of other aircraft.
Other aircraft comprise of trainers, tankers, and helicopters. Trainers train pilots, tankers refuel other aircraft in flight, while some helicopters carry transport troops and equipment over short distances. Some helicopters called gunship carry guns and missiles used in combats.
Maintenance and support of the fighting arm of an air force requires an administrative and supply organization immensely larger than the fighting arm itself. Programs for research and development and for training are essential. Landing fields are needed, and there must be facilities for the fueling and repair of fighting planes.
Major Air Forces of the World
Of the some 170 independent countries of the world, about 135 have air forces. Many of the smaller nations—about 35—do not have jet fighters and have air forces consisting of only reconnaissance craft, transports, trainers, and helicopters. Most powerful countries have an independent air force unit, whereas the smaller countries have air force unit as part of their army or navy. A nation’s wealth, technology, and national defense needs are the determining factors for the size and strength of the air force in different countries. The powerful and rich countries possess modern bombers, fighters, transport planes, helicopters, and other aircraft. The developing countries on the other hand have taken up loans to spruce up their air forces. These countries mostly have older aircrafts.
The largest air forces are those of the United States, Russia, Great Britain, India, North Korea, Germany, Israel, China and France. Other countries like Ukraine, Italy, and Turkey also count as countries with significant air forces. However, in comparison to the developed countries, these forces are smaller and less technologically advanced.
Before the development of missiles and airplanes in the 20th century, countries depended on armies and navies which are restricted to the land and sea. In modern times, the armies and navies are very important but the air forces provide the most powerful striking force in defense.
Not all nations have separate air forces, and those that do may assign some types of tactical and defense planes and missiles, as well as planes used for transport and supply, to army or navy control.
The United States Air Force, which is the world's strongest, includes not only bomber and fighter units, but also the country's land-based strategic missile force. It has about 400,000 persons on active duty. It boasts of 2,000 active fighter and attack aircraft and about 200 bombers. Additionally, it operates several satellite and radar systems. It has about 330,000 members, along with about 75,000 in the Air Force Reserve. The Air National Guard units administered by the states have around 107,000 people. The U.S. Air Force commands about 600 ICBM's but no IRBM's. The U.S and the Soviet Union under a 1987 treaty decided to eliminate their IRMB’s. The U.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard have their separate air force units. With over 1,700 combat airplanes and about 700 armed helicopters the U.S. navy has the largest air arm. The army unit owns 1,100 armed helicopters.
Russia has about 205,000 officers and enlisted persons in its air force. It has got 1,700 active combat aircraft, primarily fighters. More than 180,000 members serve in the air forces. It has only a few long-range bombers but a very strong force of medium bombers. The Russian air force is not responsible for the nation's strategic missile force, which is a separate service, but it does have tens of thousands of tactical missiles. A separate strategic force controls nearly 630 ICBM’s. The military satellites are launched and operated by another force for space operations. The aviation branch of the Russian Navy possesses 250 combat airplanes and about 150 armed helicopters.
Great Britain's Royal Air Force has about 50,000 officers and enlisted personnel. It has over 400 active combat aircraft, mostly fighter and attack airplanes. Most of its strength consists of bomber and fighter aircraft based in Great Britain, but it also has units in Germany, the Falkland Islands, and a few other locations. The royal navy’s air arm boasts of around 30 additional combat airplanes and around 180 armed helicopters.
The French air force numbers about 60,000 persons. It has a strategic nuclear armed bomber fleet as well as conventionally armed fighters. Additionally, it has around 450 combat aircraft, most of which are the fighters and attack planes. About 60 bombers equipped with IRBM's are operated by a separate strategic air force. There are around 60 combat airplanes and 30 armed helicopters.
Germany's air force, Luftwaffe, has a strength of about 65,000. Its principal weapons are fighter-bombers and fighters, but it is also heavily armed with tactical missiles. It has around 400 active attack and fighter aircraft, with about 60 additional combat airplanes and 20 armed helicopters in the navy's air unit.
China has an air force of 400,000 persons. Many of its aircraft are of obsolete Soviet design. It has got around 1,700 fighter and attack planes and about 120 bombers. The navy operates around 700 additional combat aircraft. It also has around 30 ICBM’s and 100 IRBM’s.
The Indian Air Force has around 700 combat aircraft, including around 600 fighters and about 40 attack helicopters. India’s Air Force also controls a large arsenal of surface-to-air missiles. Nearly 170,000 people serve in the Air force. The naval air force has got around 35 additional combat airplanes and about 30 armed helicopters.
The North Korean Air Force comprises of 600 active combat planes and more than 20 armed helicopters. Nearly 110,000 people serve in the air force.
The Israeli air force has got 400 active fighter and attack planes, and about 100 armed helicopters. Around 35,000 members serve in the air force.
History of Air Warfare
The first air reconnaissance in battle was made in 1794 at Fleurus, a French victory over Austria in the wars of the French Revolution. It occurred only 11 years after the first successful balloon was built by Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier. The French used balloons to detect the movement of enemy troops. The first air attack took place in 1849. Austrians sent unmanned balloons carrying time bombs over the city of Venice. The winds however, changed the direction and some of the bombs exploded over the Austrian troops. Napoleon made some use of observation balloons in his campaigns, and in the American Civil War both sides used balloons. A balloon corps to direct artillery fire and observe Confederate troop movements was organized by the Union Army. Almost all countries came to have balloon corps. Balloons were a means of communication in 1871 during the siege of Paris in the Franco-Prussian War. Captive balloons performed important observation missions in the Spanish-American War (1898) and in World War I.
Count von Zeppelin began successful experiments with dirigibles in 1900, and Germany used fleets of dirigibles (called Zeppelins) to bomb London and other targets during World War I. A number of large military dirigibles were built after the war, but a series of disasters discouraged further development after 1937.
Invention of the airplane in 1903 by the Wright brothers was followed by much experimenting by the armed forces of Europe and the United States. Airplanes were used from the beginning of World War I in 1914. At first they were unarmed and were used only for observation. By 1909, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia, and the United States had bought planes for their forces. The Royal Flying Corps as the air arm of the Royal Army and Navy was established in 1912. The Flying Corps as the air arm of the Royal Army and Navy in 1918.
At the time of World War I most airplanes flew at a maximum speed of around 75 miles (120 kilometers) per hour. These could reach an altitude of about 10,000 feet (3,000 meters). By the time the war ended the speed reached about 120 miles (190 kilometers) per hour, and maximum altitude had also more than doubled.
An important development was invention of a device to synchronize the fire of a machine gun with the revolution of the blades of a propeller. It was first used in the German Fokker monoplane in 1915. Up to this time most of the fighting had been “dogfights” between individual planes. The Allies then adopted formation flying to protect observation planes from machine-gun attacks. The Germans, notably Baron Manfred von Richthofen's “Flying Circus,” took the lead in perfecting formation maneuver.
Towards the end of the war, combats between single pilots made way for battles between squadrons of airplanes. Bombing also started as individual effort, but by 1916 day bombardment squadrons and night bombardment squadrons were attacking railway yards and airports. The largest bomber offensive of the war, September 12 to 15, 1918, supported the St. Mihiel offensive with 1,500 allied aircraft under command of Colonel William Mitchell of the United States. The Allied planes got full control of the air and dropped bombs on enemy lines. Subsequently, the won the war.
The first separate air force was the Royal Air Force of Great Britain, which was created from the Royal Flying Corps, April 1, 1918. After Hitler came to power in Germany the Luftwaffe, under the leadership of Hermann Goering, one of the aces of World War I, became the world's largest air force. In the United States in particular aviation pioneers like Billy Mitchell worked tirelessly to lay greater emphasis on airpower. Mitchell was court-martialed for defying his superior officers and criticizing the system. In 1946, however he was awarded for his apt predictions about the future of aviation. In the early 20th century countries like France, Germany, Italy, and Sweden also established independent air forces.
The period between the world wars was one of great technical advances. Airplane engines of World War I, for example, were of about 200 horsepower; many of those of World War II exceeded 2,000 hp.
The Spanish Civil War (1936–39) gave Nazi Germany, aiding Franco's Nationalists, an opportunity to test the Luftwaffe's equipment and tactics. At the beginning of World War II, in September, 1939, the Luftwaffe demonstrated its power by destroying the Polish air force in four days. Within a month Poland was defeated, a victim of Germany's blitzkrieg (literally, “lightning war,” a combination of air and ground power, with parachute troops and tanks spearheading the advance). The air force ruined airfields, and struck at the important cities, highways, and railways.
Blitzkrieg tactics were applied on a larger scale in the 1940 campaign that knocked France out of the war. German saturation bombing of Rotterdam, Netherlands, on May 13, 1940, was a rehearsal for the strategic warfare that was turned loose against Great Britain after the fall of France.
British retaliatory bombing was small-scale at first. The weight of bombs dropped on Germany by Allied air forces in 1944 was more than 40 times that dropped in 1940 and nearly 15 times that dropped in 1941. Consequently, the RAF was outnumbered. Strategic bombing (1944–45) deprived Germany of needed coal and oil. In the closing months of the war Germany introduced the V-2 rocket bomb and jet-powered planes, but both came too late to avert defeat. By October, the RAF had shot down over 1,700 attacking planes and lost around 900 of its own. Air raids continued on British cities.
In the Pacific, aircraft carriers were the most important factor in early stages of the war against Japan. Japan's carrier attack on Pearl Harbor crippled the U.S. fleet and made possible Japan's seizure of a vast perimeter of island defenses. About 360 Japanese aircraft attacked the U.S base. A series of carrier battles—notably Midway, June 4–6, 1942— turned the tide. The United States offensive was largely a campaign for bases ever closer to Japan. Long-range bombing offensives and an air-sea blockade crippled the Japanese war industry before the dropping of two atomic bombs in August, 1945, led Japan to surrender.
Japan captured a large part of China in mid 1942. Allied Forces in order to help China flew supplies via India over the Himalayas. This route was known as “Hump.” The allies supplied 650,000 short tons (590,000 metric tons) of supplies to China. In August 1945 B-29 bombers dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The war ended with Japan surrendering before the Allied powers.
As World War II ended, most of the weapons of air warfare were obsolete. Not only had the atomic bomb changed the entire concept of strategic bombing, but developments in jet power soon made all existing aircraft obsolescent, and the German V-1 and V-2 experiments pointed the way toward new missile weapons. By 1944, Germany had developed the Messerschmitt Me 262, the first jet to fly combat missions. The jet -powered air forces were developed by countries like the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and the United States.
In the years since World War II giant strides have been made in weapons and aviation technology. Airplanes have become ever larger and faster, and capable of flying at ever higher altitudes. Missiles have become almost a standard part of a fighter's armament. Despite this countries have reduced the use of weapons, the targets they attacked, and the areas of war to avert a nuclear conflict. Major air forces are concerned not only with superiority in the air, but also with superiority in space. Hence, air forces play an important role in limited wars that are prevalent these days. The fear of nuclear war has prevented the countries from using nuclear weapons against the enemies.
Both the U.S and the Soviet Union competed for the coveted tag of the biggest superpower after the World War II ended. The Soviet Union tested its first atomic bomb. Many other countries also developed nuclear weapons. In 1957, it tested its first ICBM. In the same year, they also launched the first space satellite. The competition for supremacy in space led to the development of antiballistic missiles (ABM's) designed to destroy enemy missiles in flight. These countries also set up missile detection systems on the ground and in space.
By mid 20th century these two countries were developing their nuclear power at an alarming rate. After much deliberation, they agreed to eliminate their IRBM’s.
The U.S and the Soviet Union supplied aircraft to various smaller countries like Finland, Hungary, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia in the late 20th century.
1990 witnessed the Soviet Union withdrawing its forces from parts of Eastern Europe. The U.S and Soviet Union came under an agreement to reduce their long range missiles and bombers, including their ICBM forces by around a third in 1991. The continuous alert for long range bombers carrying nuclear arms also ended the same year. This alert was in effect since 1957 in the United States. Steps were taken to reduce the threat of a nuclear air attack. Late 1991 witnessed the disintegration of the Soviet Union which lessened the threat of nuclear war and race for armed forces. Consequently, many air forces cut down on personnel and equipment in this period.
The Korean War (1950-1953) saw the first combat between jet and aircraft. The conflict between North Korea which was aided by the Soviet Union and China and South Korea assisted by the United States and other members of the United Nations witnessed combats between airplanes, though the military attacks were restricted. Around 150 jet fighters participated in the air battles. Both sides adopted the principle of asylum that let the aircraft to withdraw from the battle ground without being pursued. No side achieved complete victory in this battle.
The Vietnam War (1957-1975) had South Vietnam supported by the U.S and North Vietnam and the Viet Cong rebels of South Vietnam aided by the Soviet Union and China fighting against each other. Frequent bombing raids were made by the Air Force and air arm of the U.S navy during the war. These were directed at North Vietnam and later at South Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Helicopter gunship were used by the U.S Air Force detect and attack the enemies in the jungles and mountainous regions. These helicopters also rescued downed aviators, carried the injured, and supplied troops and other supplies. The U.S forces started withdrawing the troops in 1969 and in 1973 the air attacks also ended. The war ended two years later with the North Vietnamese and the Viet Cong winning it.
The wars in the Middle East trace back to 1967 when the Israeli Air Force destroyed the air forces of countries including Egypt, Jordan, and Syria in the Six Day War. This was followed by a surprise attack staged by Egypt which had reestablished its air force in 1973 with Syria against Israel. Egypt dominated the air for a short while before Israel regained its power and drove away all its attackers. This was made possible by the airlift supplies that Israel received from the U.S.
The Persian Gulf War of 1991 saw airpower dominating the battle again. The countries aided by the U.S drove out Iraq from Kuwait. Prior to the war, the coalition transported a large amount of equipment to the Persian Gulf Region. This came to be known as one of the largest airlifts in history.
The war began in mid-January 1991 with huge bombing raids in Iraq and Kuwait. The precision guided “smart” bombs were used by the U.S forces along with the F-117 “stealth” fighter-bomber. Since the “stealth” fighter-bomber are difficult to detect with radar because of their design and surface material the Air Force used them extensively in the war. Consequently, the coalition gained total air control after destroying several aircraft of the enemy which forced them to flee to Iran. In February the coalition launched a ground attack which devastated the Iraqis forcing them to surrender within days.
The Iraq War that began in 2003 the U.S led coalition attempted recover the banned weapons and overthrow the Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. The war began with extensive bombing by the coalition air forces of targets that related to air defense, weapons systems, and the leadership of Iraq's ruling Baath Party. The coalition forces captured Baghdad in April after massive air attacks against Iraqi troops. This marked the end of Hussein’s rule in Iraq. The precision bombs guided by laser or satellite were extensively used. The major phase of the war ended in May 2003. The coalition forces despite receiving stiff opposition from militant outfits in Iraq stayed on.