The Transformation of American Air Power

Since the effective performance of the allied air campaign against Iraq in Operation Desert Storm, the role of American air power in future wars has become a topic of heated debate. This study explores the extent to which the US can rely on air-delivered precision weapons in lieu of ground forces, to achieve strategic objectives and minimize American casualties. Beginning with the US experience in Southeast Asia and detailing how failures there set the stage for a sweeping refurbishment of the nation’s air warfare capability, Benjamin S. Lambeth reviews the recent history of American air power, including its role in the Gulf War and in later conflicts in Bosnia, Kosovo and Serbia. He examines improvments in areas ranging from hardware development to aircrew skills and organizational adaptability. Lambeth acknowledges that the question of whether air power should operate independently or continue to support land operations is likely to remain contentious. He concludes, however, that air power, its strategic effectiveness proven, can now set the conditions for victory even from the outset of combat if applied to its fullest potential.