Air Superiority Doctrine

Air Superiority Doctrine
Technology
Parent Tree	Early Fighter Doctrine
Parent Field	Air Doctrine
Historical Year	1936
Total Difficulty	25
Specialties	Aircraft Testing Combined Arms Focus
Main Effects	Improve fighter org/morale (+2%) Enable most air missions
Prerequisites	None
Required for	Flying Circus Doctrine Force Substitution Doctrine

Air Superiority Doctrine is a technology in the Early Fighter Doctrine field of the Air Doctrine tree. It is the seminal technology of the tree and is required for any research into air doctrine.

Description

Air superiority is the dominance in the air power of one side's air forces over the other side's during a military campaign. It is defined in the NATO Glossary as "That degree of dominance in the air battle of one force over another that permits the conduct of operations by the former and its related land, sea, and air forces at a given time and place without prohibitive interference by the opposing force." One should note that in military speak, air superiority is different from air supremacy.

Air superiority allows greatly increased bombing efforts as well as tactical air support for ground forces. In addition, paratroop assaults and airdrops can move ground forces and supplies.

In the early 1900s, Italian air-theorist Giulio Douhet wrote in The Command of the Air that future wars would be decided in the skies. At the beginning of World War II his ideas were dismissed by some, but as the war continued, it became apparent that his theories on the importance of aircraft were supported once the Allies attained air superiority.

Air power has since become an increasingly powerful element of military campaigns; military planners view having at least an environment of air superiority as a necessity. For example, Britain's successful air defence in the Battle of Britain during World War II denied the German military air superiority in the English Channel, making a seaborne invasion (planned as Operation Sealion) unlikely to succeed. Achieving total air superiority later allowed the Allies to carry out strategic bombing raids on Germany's industrial and civilian centers, most notably the Ruhr and Dresden.

The element of air superiority has also been the driving force behind the development of aircraft carriers, which allow aircraft to operate in the absences of designated airbases. For example, the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was carried out by aircraft operating from Japanese aircraft carriers miles away from the nearest Japanese air base. Air superiority, however, requires a significant investment in military resources to achieve, and overinvestment can lead to a shortfall of other crucial aspects of military deployment. Strategists therefore usually aim for a balance.

Components

Specialty	Difficulty	Component
Aircraft Testing	5	Tactical Unit - Wing
Aircraft Testing	5	Combat Air Patrol Testing
Aircraft Testing	5	Bomb Run Testing
Combined Arms Focus	5	Army Air Support
Aircraft Testing	5	Counter-Air Tactics

Effects

Air Superiority Doctrine provides a 2% boost to morale and organization of interceptors, escorts, fighters, and carrier air wings. As the seminal air doctrine, it enables most air missions, including Ground Attack, Interdiction, Naval Strike, Strategic Bombardment, Logistical Strike, Port Strike, Installation Strike, Runway Cratering, and Convoy Air Raiding.

Strategy

Without this doctrine, no other air doctrines can be researched and air units may not conduct most basic missions. Therefore, the doctrine is a must for any nation with air power, even a minimal air force. Most sizable nations start scenarios with the technology, but smaller countries which are yet to develop any air force may need to develop this doctrine as part of getting started.