Cohesion is the Key: Air Power Employment

Abstract

The potential air power contribution to security and defence cannot be fully realized without a clear employment doctrine, which in turn demands a sound process for constructing an air strategy (that is a broad conceptual plan) to ensure that all air power actions are directed in a cohesive fashion towards defined objectives. Priorities must be set, results monitored and appropriate adjustments made. The resulting cycle — normally termed the air-power employment pattern — tends to fall naturally into four main phases: analysis, planning, implementation and assessment. This is shown in Figure 3.1.

The old fable of the bundle of faggots compared with the individual stick is abundantly true of air power. Its strength lies in unity …

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Lord Tedder