Routledge Understanding Contemporary Air Power

This book aims to explain air power to both military and civilian audiences in an accessible manner, approaching the topic in a balanced and systematic way. The past 100 years illustrates that air power is an inevitable feature of any type of modern warfare. It has a key role to play in any of the three main operational environments: conventional (inter-state) wars, peace-support operations, and counterinsurgencies. This book examines the strengths and challenges of using air power in these situations, and each type of operation is explained using modern and historical examples, with an emphasis on the relevant lessons for the contemporary and future use of air power. The book also looks into the complexity of media coverage of air warfare and changes in the public perception of air power in recent years. The specifics of structuring national air forces is also discussed, along with the future of air power based on current trends. One of the enduring themes in the book is the necessity of inter-service and cross-domain integration, emphasizing the increasingly important role of cyber and space domains in the future of network-centric warfare. This book will be essential reading for students of air power and air warfare, and recommended reading for students of international security, strategic studies, defence studies, and foreign policy. Review 'This textbook sets out to provide the context and to explore the issues and ideas required to understand the contemporary use of airpower in its different operating environments. Fedorchak examines and explains relevant theory and concepts before addressing fundamental roles, to provide a comprehensive analysis of the theory and practice of airpower today. The book will be extremely useful for anyone interested in modern military operations, and will be especially valuable for those seeking to understand what militaries can achieve in and from the third-dimension.’--Ian Speller, Maynooth University, Ireland 'Viktoriya Fedorchak offers an excellent textbook on contemporary air power. The book represents a fresh and insightful study of the utility of air power in peace support operations, counter-insurgency campaigns and conventional warfare. It provides a scholarly assessment of theory, roles and functions and the place of air power in the larger context of civil society. It also offers an honest account of air power’s strengths and limitations, as well as prudent advice on its future applicability. This book should be essential reading for anyone interested in the use of military force in today’s world.'-- Colonel John Andreas Olsen, Royal Norwegian Air Force 'This is an important new work that adds substantially to the literature on modern airpower. Fedorchak has started with the basics of what airpower is and what it can do to achieve national goals, and then steps through the history of war over the past several decades. Her conclusions are logical and irrefutable: as range, precision and intelligence sources have multiplied, airpower had become increasingly crucial to how the West fights--against any adversary. Drawing a distinction between 'success' and 'victory,' she shows that airpower is essential to achieving success, which in the modern world is what nations must seek. An excellent primer essential to any course on airpower or as an adjunct to a study of strategy.'--Col. Phillip S. Meilinger, USAF (Retd.), formerly Dean of the School of Advanced Airpower Studies at the Air University, Alabama, USA ‘Viktoriya Fedorchak's book addresses one of the most discussed issues of our time, the use of military air power. The use of large land armies belongs to the past. Instead, states are increasingly using military air operations. The world's most powerful military force, the United States, is investing heavily in drone warfare. Fedorchak addresses the theme in both breadth and depth. She discusses what military air power has been, is and can evolve into