Kaliningrad Trap - Reconciling Airpower Theory with Peer Competitors

Abstract

This study analyzes the appropriateness of employing traditional airpower theory against Russia in the context of a Baltic conflict and offers that air planners must consider political context when attempting to control the vertical domain through active, offensive tactics. History demonstrates that airpower is primarily an offensive weapon. The results of this study show that if NATO and the US responded to a Russian invasion of the Baltics by applying traditional airpower theoriesspecifically by seeking control of the vertical by violently removing the Integrated Air Defense System (IADS) located in Kaliningradthis response would likely escalate the conflict. NATO air planners should understand that an air war against Russia will be different than the Arab-Israeli Six Day War, Desert Storm, and Allied Force. Air planners must pursue non-traditional IADS take-down methods to compel Russia to return to its borders without escalating the war.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2018
Accession Number
AD1083733

Entities

People

  • Matthew P. Stueck

Organizations

  • Air University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Counter WMD
  • Cyber
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Defense
  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircraft Industry
  • Aircrafts
  • Command And Control
  • Defense Systems
  • Fighter Aircraft
  • Fighter Bombers
  • Geography
  • International Relations
  • Military Budgets
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Recreation
  • Warfare

Readers

  • International Relations and Conflict Resolution
  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies