Trends in the global balance of airpower

the long version

The post-Cold War era has many implications for the way U.S. military forces will be sized, equipped, and balanced. The recent war in the Persian Gulf has given a new prominence to the role of airpower in that balance. The United States has, and is planning to maintain, overwhelming superiority in airpower. It is important to explore whether a U.S. military strategy based on airpower dominance is a prudent policy for the long term. The report assesses whether a future foe's airpower could check or stalemate U.S. airpower. The analysis seeks to shed light on whether other nations will seek to increase their emphasis on airpower or instead try to challenge the United States using other means.