Taking Air Superiority for Granted: America's Waning Air Dominance Capability
Abstract
The absolute importance of air superiority in modern warfare is unquestionable, but the relative ease with which America currently retains air supremacy is shaping its fighter fleet. The Air Force is transitioning its fourth-generation air superiority fighter, the F-15C, out of Active Duty squadrons as the airframe ages, and it has curtailed acquisition of its fifth-generation air superiority fighter, the F-22A. Joint force fighter acquisitions are currently stove-piped in the multirole F-35. Though multirole fighters serve current conflicts well, an over-reliance on multirole aircraft, while neglecting a dedicated air superiority capability, will create a lopsided fighter force that is ill suited to counter a comprehensive enemy counter-air capability. To ensure air superiority in all possible future conflicts, the United States military must balance developing and acquiring multirole fighter aircraft with modernizing and expanding a fleet of dedicated air superiority fighters.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 22, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1176169
Entities
People
- William R. Kastner
Organizations
- Marine Corps University