Tuesday, June 4, 2013
AIR POWER
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AIR POWER
In the air are no streets, no
channels, no point where kone can say of an antogonist In the air, ll directions lead everywhere.
H.G.
Wells
THEME
Air power came to its maturity
during the second World War. The concept of air superiority and favourable
air situation were evolved and
it was establised that air
superiority was a prerequisite for vistory in any land
operation. The advancement of aviation and weapn technologies has increased
the leathality and precision of airborne
weapons. The recent Gulf War is a true
manifestation of the potency and
effectiveness of air power, in foisy warfare of contemporary times, where land and
air warfare have been fused into one
medium to conduct fire and manoeuvre.
ABSTRACT
The
use of airpower in the warfare
has completely the changed the concept of warfare. Airpower alone considered to be the winning factor in warfare.
Various revolutionary aviators
Doubt, Mitchell and Trenchard believed
the use of
airforce as an independent
force not subordinate to
ground or naval forces. With
the wide
use of airpower and their
successful employment in various wars game the concept of
favourable air situation,
air superiority, air supermacy and command of the air. In past World War II era, the airpower
extensively used in various com globelly especially in Korean
War, Vietnam War, Falkland War. The Gulf War brought new dimension
to airpower. The success konly continued to
aerial warfare which brought the decisiove results, to make the war to a
successful end.
Air
power in the context of Indo-Pakistan
scenario also brought useful
results in both the hours of 1965 and 1971.
There is a significant rise in the development of airpower with modren equippment after
1971 war. It is quite clear to
say that
air power would dominate the
warfare in any future conflict between
both the countries.
PREFACE
In the study of airpower, evolution
of airpower, its effects on warfare with particular reference to various
campaign which is behaved that have had a particular significant for the evolution of theory and practice between word
war I and uptill 1982 including the conflicts between Pakistan and India in
1965 and
1971 War.
This survey is not a complete record
but rather a selective study ranging
from the important role of air power plays in
NATO strategy to the subcontinent environment.
I
have got assistance from air
section in the library of Staff
College, Wing Commandeer Shamin and quoted from the other writers are EMME, Air Vice Marshal R.A
Mason, Maj Gen F.C Fuller, Air Marshal M.J Armitage RAF, Squadron Leader
M. Tariq
Qureshi and John Tricker.
List of
Abbreviations
AWACS - airborne
warning and control system
FEAF - Far East Air Force
NKAF - North
Korean Air Force
NKPA - North
Korean People's Army
ORBAT - order
of battle
SAC - Strategic Air Command
SAM - surface-to-air missiles
SAS - Special Air Service
STOVL - short
take-off and vertical landing
USAF - United
States Air Force
USN - United States Navy
VSTOL - vertical,
short take-off and landing
CONTENTS
List
of abbreviations
Introduction
Aim/Scope
Chapter - 1. Evolution
* Evolution of Air Power
* Classical theories of Air
* Concept of German Blitzkreig and US
strategic Bombing.
Chapter - 2. Effect of Air Power on Warfare.
* Air Land Warfare
- Vietnam
War.
- Korean
War.
* Air Sea Warfare.
- Falkland
War.
* Air Warfare.
- Gulf
War.
Chapter - 3. Subcontinent
Environment.
* Air Battle of 1965 War.
* Preperation for another War.
* Air Battle of 1971 War.
Conclusion
Bibliography
PART I
The Evolution of
Air Power.
1. Early history of mankind shows athat
man always aspired to fly. The
winged gods of
ancient legends ware
romantil projections of flights
as demonstrated daily in mature by most birds
and sone insects. Man remained
earthbound. However, by the early nineteenth century, hot air
ballons provided him with a relatively uncontrolled means of aerial
navigation. Eventually man began his successful conquest of the air
with the
airplane and powered balloon.
On the morning of December
17, 1903, between ten thirty-five A.m and moon two unkown yound
brothers from Dayton `Ohio, Wilbur and Orville Wright made a series
of four short flights in a powered airplane of their own design and manufacture. This was a key event and a key data to be
impressed on the mind, fot it will be
remembered for ever , as collumbus finding of the New World.
2. Santos
Dumont, was the first man to get
off the
soil of Europe in a Leavier .than -= aircraft in the fall
of 1906.
The frenchman Louis Bleriot, made
the first international airplane flight in
1909. The hopped across the
English channel. This flight
coupled with a demonstration touw
of Europe by Orville Wright greatly stimulated public awareness of
aviation progress in France Britain and Germany. A year before. H.G Wells
wrote the War in the Air (1908) , in which he foresaw that
the air power of nations would revolutionize the conduct as
well as the social consequences
of war. Wells considered air war
to be Universal querrilla war, a war inestriccably
involving civilian and homes and ll lthe apparatus of social
life. It was also in 1909
that an Obs cure Major in the Italian army Giulio
Douhet, write that the sky, too, was about to become another battle
field no less important than the battle fiellds on land and sea.
Word War - I
3. By 1212-14, German Zeppelins appeared
as an "aerial meanace" in
the eyes of Englishmen. Rumours that German Zeppelins
had flown over England
aroused Widespread concesu.
Because of aviation, in
1914 Englandhad obviously
lost the geographical immunity which
the twenty odd miles of
water in
the English channel had provided
since the Norman invasion in 1066. With
the actual war in
1914 leaders of all the warring
nations were grappled with the
movel problem posed by the rapid development of aerial warfare.
The Royal Flying Corps of the Army
hasd been dispatched to
help stem the German
ground tide in
France. Aircrafts of the
Royal Navy based in France destroyed several Zeppelins on their home bases in Germany. It was thus that the individual relationship between
offensive and defensive operations in air
arfare was clearly documented in the
first weeks of World War I. To Britain, thereafter, the most direct threat
to its security always laid in the air.
When German bombers capaigned over London in 1916 -17, a special
committee unequivocally
recommended that an
independent airforce by instituated immediately.
In Jun 1918, an independent bombing force
was created for direct action
against the heart of the
German indistrial system' ultimately, an autXConous Royal
Air Force was created in 1918. This creation was to be a
motable consequence of World War
I. Military aviration was
completely eradicated in Germany
after World War-I. Denied a
military airforce Germans atonce
turned with zeal
and skill to a
concentrated development of commercial air transport sport flying gliding and
technical development. By
1926, the year
that Germany because a member of the League of Nations she was one of the
leading air powers in
`Europe'. This development
also enabled Germany under Adolf lHitler to rearan rapidly in the air after
1933. After Hitler
came to rule
in Germany, air rearmament was initated without limitation. With the rise of a German airforce and with the mechanations
of Mussolini Italy and Imperial Japan,
maked military force was
quickly restored to disturb
the stability of
word peace. Consequently
on air armament race
became a control feature of
the "Cold War"
in Europe from 1935 until the blitzkrieg on Poland in 1939.
Development of Air
Power Sicne World War - II.
4. The
"lightning War" in
Poland brought air forces to the
crest of world
opinion regarding the
actual relities of mechanized warfare.
a. German Blitzkrieg in Poland. Infact the shooting phase of World War - II began with the German Blizkrieg
in Poland. Exhibiting complete
tactical surprise the Luftwaffe demolished the polish air force
on the ground and blasted in aout of the air within twenty - four
hours. The flexibility of superior air
forces enjoying absolute air mostery
was next demonstrated by the
Luftevaffe in providing long -range firepower to speed the advance of the aranoured and
mechanized spearheads of the German army. While Britain and
France declared war, dropped
pamphlets on Germany but
waited to be attacked in the wast, their ally poland
was completely occupied within three
weeks. The entire non-Nazi world
was stunned by the seemingly invincible
power of
the German blitzkrieg employing
the stantling combination of stukadine bombers and Panzer tank forces.
The role of air forces in Europe, indeed was
decisive both in the
early German successescand the
ultimate allied victory. Command
of the air was the pivot around which
the fortunes of the was in Europe revolved.
b. Concept of Strategic Bombing.
Strategic bombing the new technique
of warfare which Germany
ngelected in her years
of triumps and which Britian
and America took call to develop, may be defined as being
an independent air Compaign intended
to be deisive
and directed against the
essential war-making capacity ofthe
enemy. Strategic bombing was these the first was instrument of
history capable of stopping the heart
mechanism of a great industrialized enemy. Britian used
the technique of strategic
bombing against Germany to
destroy was
industries/transport and communications
infact -
the heart and anteries of war
economy so that enemys will to resist
was broken through nullification
of his means. Britian air leaders had this strategic concept in mind at the beginning of the war
but they locked the meant to carry it out. Their day light raids on German industrial targets
in 1940 resulted in
prohibitine lasses. Accordingly the Royal Air force turned to night
bombing, which was feasible, despite tge Luftwaffer air supermacy over Germany.
The Britian developed the most effective
heavy night bomber the Lancaster, which
went into action in 1943 and remained the
greatest load carrier of the air war in Europe. Infact , Mr Winston Churchill wrote a memorandum on 3rd
September 1940, in which he
openly accepted that 'The fighters
are our salvation', he said but the bombers alone provide the means
of victory . We therefore, he said
develop the power to carry on ever - increasing volume of experience to Germany so as to pulversie the
entire industry and scientific structure on which the was effort
and economic life of the economy depend. This was strongly supported byt Lord Trenchard. a
fanatical Douhetist who on 29th August 1942, wrote a powerful paper advocating a cancentration of bombing to
smash the German machine of the bomber
blitz.
c. After the Second Wrold War air power has extended
an influence so permeating and deminating that
it has shaped the whole course of internation affairs and of any
future war in particular.
There are three
main factors which have influence the use of air power since the World
War - II, these are :-
(1) Nuclear
Weapons. The introduction
of nuclear weapons gave an over
whelming advantage to offensive air
power and this led the strategic
air striking force being
chosen to implement
the policy of defence through deterrence.
(2) Emergence of Limited Wars.
Although, the threat of general war has been contained by a
policy of deterrence, such
factors as racial hatred etc have led
to a succession of disturbance
within the context of
conventional war. Air power has played
a substantial part in suppressing these
staying within the necessary
political restrictions. The trend of events has always been to use air power for
rapid reinforcment or deployment of
security forces on a world wide and to support
them in battle.
(3) Aircraft and
Missile Development. Scientific progress in military aviation widened the
scope for using air power. Jet propulsion not only added to the power of
the offensive buy was also the key to greater mobility, both in the peace
time movement of forces and in the rapid reaction of air
support to contain emergencies. The introduction of air
and ground - launched missiles
further maintained the lead of offensive air power, which will
continue to make a major
contribution to national defence.
The latest role of air power in the Gulf
war needs badly any explanation.
PART II
1. The
use of aircraft with the ground
forces and the
navy brought new dimensions in
the carfare, besides acting
independently:-
a. Air
Land Warfare.
b. Air
Sea Warfare.
c. Air
Avorfore independent.
2. AIR
LAND WARFARE
Vietnam War.
The history of us involvement in Vietnam
preaccepted a complex picture. It
was the strength between the capnlation
and the communism. In December
1960, Ho Chi Much announced the
formation of Vietcong a national front for the liberation of South
Vietnam. These events brought US forces in the shape of special forces. It was
boncally to retaliate against Vietcong Gunlles operating from North Vietnam.
Role of US Air
Force in Support of land Forces
1. Tactical
Air Power.Close Sp.
In 1961, USAF canoeist of 117
aircrafts out of which 50 were combat
aircrafts and these streaght rose to 500 combat aircraft in
1965.The air power used in support of search
and destroy operations conducted by ground airforces. Forward
Air Conbotter were used exlaistwiely, to operate in particular
anise, fanuliarie themselves and
directing air power against the elusive enemy troops.
30%
of total air effort were used for immediate or troops in contact situation 30.
US 7th Air Force and Marine 1 Corps
colletinety flow an arrange 750 t0 800 Sorties per day in sp of ground
forces. At intake rate during surge
operation, aircraft sorties rate
increased from 1.2 to 1.8 per day.
In
all these operations, air power have used to complement or replace artillery in support of
ground forces.
Tactical air power could swtihed its
effort rapidly from one sector to another and could concentrate massuie fire
power within a short period near a limited geographical area.
AC - 47 aircrafts were used to
illuminate taugch with floras for night attacks. AC-30 joined later with
advanced saucer system to 7th Air Force. By using tow light television
and inflated detectors, the aircraft could locate targets, direct
fire power on them and also mak target acenrately for
follow up attacks by tactical aircraft.
Strategic Use in
Tactical Role
Use of B-52 "The flying
fortran" in close support of ground
forces was the major invocation of the
airway in South Vietnam. B-52 were basically designed to carry the quell
weapons and was under control of strategic Air Command. These were
employed for mass destruction and were
underfield to carry agate four 500 lbs
bounds on long pylons total bowbload of 100,000 lb. On equivalent of fine fighter powers. The sorties were raised
from thirty per day to sixty per day at
the time of Tel Offensive.
Interdiction
Compaingin
Interdiction compaigin
was started from 1965 to 1968
lines of communication against North Viethenes. In included
attached are rculway system, especially
between the luic segment between china and Stunt. The whole stretch was covered
with SAMS, AA artillery defence. Two
bridges were us war battle needs. One of the
bridge was targeted and made
out of action for seven weeks
with one railway and two road span destroyed. With the result,
logistic problem was faced by the enemy.
Forty mile rail segment between
Haiphong and Hanor was also vital to north Vietnamese logistics, because belt
of goods
including fuel and food tranelled from Hippies Harbor. Third
important segment was from Hanoi to Vie. All these lug
have under constant bomlandment
by the USAF and North Vietnamese were unable to flow their logistics through
these weans.
KOREA WAR
1. The was started on 25th June 1950 when
North Korea attached South Korea. The UN
Security Council called on North Koreaers
to withdraw behind 38th Parlayed, but when they failed to do so, US forces have committed under UN authority.
2. Role
of Air Power
a. Air Superanany. On 1 July, the US force begin is were its
force by air and sea blockade was complemented.
On 2 July 1950, the air offensive
started by B-29 Bowhes air Yanpu
airfield near. Humguam Where
most of the North
Korea aircrafts were used. Later Caribbean aircrafts also found in this counter air
operation. By end of July are but
handful of enemy aircrafts have been destroyed worry on ground.
b. Close support, interdirction and Air Suply. With
the destruction of North Korean
aircrafrts, the operative for close
supoort for ground forces started.
Total Number of fire close interdiction ha ed 1,2,3,4, and 5 compauge
and operation strangh were started
against bridges, raily and rol
communication net work. These pronad
beway on resources,
and number of
bowker aircrafts have lost.
Deep interdirction compraigin
started aginst the North Koera,s
caprital because of number
of logistic instattations
and logistic bars. Hydroelectnic plants
and power transmission
grid stations have attached.,
to put prusmum umpon
the conmunits. This compaigin
strated with 1254 sontries per day.
To
put pohtical presum still irrigation
dams were made the target
sithated near important
transport routes in North West Koera, providing 75 percent
of water for the country,s rice production. Out of twenty daius from were made the targets.
Tactically
these strikes brough spectacutar result with
why are dam, North of Pyonsyany,
destroyed five bridges near by
railway line, flooed five square miles
of rice, damaged six miles of embonbwnt
and unindated sunan airfield.
Close support by
FEAF desewed to exist but
provided by Task Force 77 )Navy) to land forces.
These were pre-brief strikes
by concentrated air
effort delwared our a shost period on tragets beyond bonb line source
twenty miles ahead of most forward ground
positions. These humions were
called Cherokee Miniion and contanced
tell the end of the war.
The USAF employed alone secuceten wings deployed in
direct support of fighting during the year 1952, a force that encluded three wings of B-29,
seven fithers wings, two B-26 wings a recomnaissance wing and
four troop Carrier wings. Over one million sorties had been flow by the UN air force.
Air supply and Air
euachalion
Two
warine regiments and one regiment of 4th Infantry durion were to be in danger
of being cut off by six chinese duision in November 1950. Task force 77, and
Ist North Air Wing frraided all the
closed support needed for them lohite FEAF,s combat Air
Cargo Command dealt with the demands of air supply to threatmned units for
wearly two weeks, air supply of 1580 tons was provided to a force roughly a division.
GULF WAR
Great Britim united States and nine
other nations respaided to Saudi
Aratia's request for aid in Agust 1990,
in the most extensive projection of air power civ
history. On 7th August, the coalition had 323 fixed wing conmsat and support
aircrafts. This strength rose to 2430 on
January 17th and finally 2790 aircrafts
by Febraury 24th.
This
war showed the complete superancy of airpower in the
air and later command in the air was achieved, sure Iraq.
The
aircompaigin had four phases.
Phase 1.
To destroy Irq
Vital centres of
grairtyits defensive and offensive air capbilities, including the entire
Air Force and its intigrated ground based air defence system;
its nabonat commniation including
television, radio and land lines;
its accleur biological
and chemical weapons
reserch and production capabilities;
system including the
railroads and bridges and
oil distribution and transportation
capabilities.
Phase
II and III. To
nentratise Iraqi Army in the Kuwaiti
theatre of operation (KTO) by cutting bridges and lines of communications to
disrupt its resupply, destroyed
its arnower and artillery, killing and deanoralizing its
personnel.
Phase IV. To
wire air/ground compaigin
by providng intelligence, manive
firepower as needed and protective
aircover for friendly ground force.
In this compaigin coabtion air power
performed all the roles that coued be consigned to it namely counter air
operations, Air recomn airance, deep
interdiction, close support and air lift.
Counter Air
Operation
Before the lobr Iraqi Air Force flow about 100
sorties per day including
60 comat aircarft sorties per day.
Ouring first week of
war, Iraqi lost 17 aircrafts in air to air combat,
18 fled to fram. Total comes to
35. Conlition suffered no loss. It is
estimated that 227 aircrafts of Iraq were destroyed on grond. The
conlition gained total air superiosity in the first week of the war.
The compaigin started with stealth F
117A aircrafts reduced pilot exposure
over heairly defended targets
and especially during day light
hours and F0117A flow virtually undedected.
Iraq decided in order to same lito
airpower made them fly to fran out of which 115 were cmbat aircarfts and 33 the
custian transport.
Within four days of the start of
war, counter Air Compaigin had drmin the Iraqi Airforce into hiding.
Iraqi integrated air defence system effectively destroyed.
Interdiction and close Air support
omissions. Supply dumps, SAM sites,
artillery and silkworm missiles silis were
constantly attached by Jaguars (Deep penetration low level flying
aircraft). Jaguars also proved extremely effective in attachs against Iraqi naval targets, patrol boats and landing
crafts. Over has sorties were flown for
these missions.
Air Reconnaiosance
Tranado GRIA
was the first reconainance aircraft
to be equpped with
rideo recarding sensous and
provide a day/night reconainance capability. Some 140
sorties were flown on tactical
reconanisnace mission, mainly operated in pairs at low
level. These sorties operated
over extended period over enemy territoy
against supp;y routes enemy positions, sand mobile onesite lanchers and bridges
for damage assessmant after laser guided
bombing raids.
Naval Air
Operation
Carrier based aircrafts also used
for strickes against those targets which were
clom to them. In mid Tanuary, the striks flew against Iraqi held islands and oil platforcus thjat were
being used to spy on coolition ships and to five at coalition aircraft.
THE FALKLAND WAR
1. The confhit started over falkland
islands between Argentina and united
kingdom. In April 1982. The falkland
flas of falkland was 400 miles away from Argentina and 8000 mils away from United Kingdom and was under llnion Jack. These islands were
pro clamied by Argentina the heir of
all spanish claims in the region.
2. The
hostitities broake out on 02 April 1982 in a
combined air and sea opration an estimated force of 5000 Argentina troops was landed at falklands which they
captured 3 hours later. South
Georgia was captured by Argentina on 03
Aprial 1982. The first stage of the was over.
3. Difficulities of England &
Argentina :-
a. The Falkland Island were 8000 miles away
from England and with no friendly basis
in the Vicinity. The British troop carrying aircrafts. (c-130) didnat have the
range to fly to Falkland and back without refuelling.
b. The
unibalance between Argentina and British air power. There only 22 Sea starrier
jomp jets aboard the carriers HMS Hermes and HMS Invinciable. argentina
orer of battle included seventeen Mirage III air
defence aircraft sixty eight A4P Skyhawk and eleven A4Q
Skyhawk attack aircraft, twenty
six Mirage V attack aircraft, seven Canberra
B-62 bombers, five
naval saper-Etendards, Six S-2 Tracker aircraft for
recomaisance and two KC 130 air to air refuelling tankers. (Falkland
company, Air Pam the njmber age P205.
c. Sea
Harriers have a short range and subsonic speed
and can attack 250 miles away and straight
comeback to their carrier,
where as Argentina Mirage III has a
combat radivs of 600 miles
d. The
Argentina Navy was too old almost obsolete,
therefore it comd neither match nor oppose British Navy. The burden of
cover was on Argeattive Air force.
e. None of
the crew of aircrafts had
apparenlly been trained in night
operationed. Super standard aircrafts
were not trained to operate from the Agrentina aircraft career. Argentina services were not well exercised
n close coordination that joint operation of this kind demand.
f. The only air base available to British
forces in the South Affantie was Ascension Islands 400
0 miles
AIR OPERATION
a. Long Range Bombing & Air Refuelling. On 1 May, before dawn the first of several long range attacks on
Part stanley airfield by Vulcan
Bombers was launched from Ancession Islands. This was supporded by chain of 11
victor air to air refuelling tankers for its 8000 miles round flight to the
Falklands and back. This flight and subsequent
ones were to longest overmade
by bomber aircraft in the history
of air power.
b. Air power vs naval ships. Due to abscence of Argentia Navy, only the airforce was in
offensive role. Despite navy damages,
Argentina contince to
press attach against Bristish.
Naval sash force On 4 May, D destroyer
HMS shefficed was destroyed by an air ttack. On 21 May
two HM ships, Andent and
Arggonant were severly damaged by bombs and Ardent later
sank. On 23 May, two were ships
have attacked and one canght
fire. HMS conventy sank on 25th may. Contancier ship
"Aflantic Comeyer"
was hit, caught five and
abondaned. On 7th June, HMS plynonth was damaged by a bomb,
same day HMS Sir Galahad was attacked
and caught on fire.
c. Counter Air
Operations. Contineous attacks
by Sea Harriers and Valcan Bombers throughout the
compaigin against the air fields of Port S standley Race course, pebble Island and Goose Green and
later deprived Argentina Air Force to use then.
Air Superionty
None of the airforces achieve and
superionty throughout the compaigin.
Aircrafts of both the forces penetratea the
defensive of eachother inspite of heavy fire and sucessfully conducted the operation.
a. Tac level, Harriers demous trated the
ability of air power to switch its efforts from one target to
another; from the ruaway of at Port Stanley
airfield to Argenaitna supply
ships running the blockade or to the
interception of incoming air attacks.
b. At operational level, airpower shaved its
capacity to adopt to the umgie
circumstances of a totally unexpected
theatre of operation. Ageing
Victor tankers were modified for the pholographic
reconnainance and transporters were
modified as air to air refuelling
tankers and receuines.
c. At
strategic level, the compaigin demoustrated how
the resources of airpower that
had been designied for war in specific
and unclear environment of Europe and North Affantic could
switch over the thrust to
meet the totally different
circumstances of a
converntional compaigin for which no preperations were made and which
was fought at the far end of opposite hainphere.
The compaigin demoustrated three importang frrix appeies of air power:
(1) First the
importance of secure air base
in the treatre of operation.
Britishes initially had none in the area of operation. The only secure air base
use the
Ancession Island 4000 miles Northe
of Falkland. The Argentina Air Power had safe base in the beginning
at Falkland but cater they
were compelled to operate
from share bases,
at Argentina.
(2) Second,
the flexibility, which can produce
operational effectiviness acron
a broadfield of capabilities. In this case, the key
factor was air to air refuelling. This
capbility made possible vitual air drops to the flect by transport
aircraft, operating well beyond the normal radies of actions it facilitated the air
reinforcement of an aircraft carrier at
extrence ronge;. It enabled Victor aircraft modified for the
photographic and marifine reconnaissance roles to area
Agrentina disposu Ground South
Georgia, it also shanea the
demoustration of air power in attacking
Angentina garrison on Falkland by Valcan Bombers.
(3) Third,
the flexibility of air power at each of its three levels, tactical, operational
and strategic. The compaigin also share the supermacy
of air power our the maritive
power. Argentina air Force inspite of
strong air defence by the British naval ships penetrated and cause considerable
damage to the British Navy. 12 warships, 3 LSLs and 2 Merchant
ships were damaged. 4 Warships, 1 LSL
ship and 1 Marchant ship were such by Argentina
Air Force.
PART III
SUBCONTINENT ENVIRONMENT
1. During
Rann of Katch skirmishes, PA was not fully involved but
it checked it state of readiness by
conducting Exercise Desert Hawk, which brought all PA on warfooting. The
weak areas had been spotted and suitably
reanedied. The war plans of the PAF were
exercised and tested commanders
got a first hand advance knowledge of the problmes and difficulties likely to
be encountered in the event of an all
out war. Positioning of personal and suadrons had taken place, and the people
became mentally prepared to meet the
enemy Exercise Desert Hawk was a certain
raiser to the September war.
2. The
first exercise took place with
IAF on
1sr September 1965, over
Chamb Sector and four Vampers aircraft
were brough down. this
first encounter brought the morale
down of Indian troops and Vampers were vamished from
the air.
OUTCOME OF THE
AIRWAR 1965
3. The
overall ratio between PAF and IAF was 1:5. PAF was on
the offensive right from outset inspite of being inferiors
in numbers to IAF. PAF gained air superiority in first four days of war. The operations were switched over to
close support to Pakistan Army over a
threatre stretching from Chamb to Rajistan.
PAF took full cognizance
of IAFs much larger fleet and
superior quality of aircraft and prepare its aerial strategy to offset
the advantage.
4. Indians
had too much faith in their
numerical superiority and they
underestraiated the fighting capability of PAF. IAF air superiority newly
inducted aircraft MIG -21 were
developed in first offensive strike of PA at Pathankot. IAF
resorted to harrassing and hurring
tactics which invested disaster F 104 due
to its high speed and F 86 Sabre due to its
high maneovrability could catch
up fleering Hunters and Gnats.
PAF Losses
Total PAF losses between 1-23
September 1965 which were also confined by the US military Assistance Advisory
Group were staked to comprise thirteen
F-86, Two F-104, were lost as a
result of air combat.
IAF losses by various sources which
collected the data caure to 75
aircrafts in September 1965.
1. PREP
FOR ANOTHER WAR
After 1965
war, India had engage in procurement
are over the workd to have another encounter with
Pakistan.
2. At the outbrake of 1971 war, IAF
numerically recover the 5th largest in the world, in terms of quality of
equipment, it was No 4. It processed a
variety of almost one thousand advanced
front leve of aircrafts and developed highly
comprained air defence system.
3. I possessed a sophisticated network of
early warring and low level radars which
gave the IAF an ummeuse
offensive and defensive
capability.
4. The
growd defences were supported by
rapid fireing radar countrolled gens and surface to air
mesiles.
5. The
aircrafts were widely
dispersed over a nuclear of airfields
deep in the interior, many of
which were beyond the reach of PAF aircrafts.
6. Forward air bases had concrete
structures (peas) for housing aircraft.
7. India
had developed indigenous
infrastructure for manufacture
and assembly of planes;
8. Its
aeronautical engineering had made
major advancements, and there was
a steady production of all types of fighter planes, ensuming for the IAF a
tremendous reserve capability.
9. India
had learnt the lessons from thir defeat of 1965
war and had effected
improvements in their
training and combat tactics.
SIT AT PAF
1. USA, over main source of supply, had
placed and enlargo; no new type of aircraft could be procured and supply
of spares too was stopped.
2. There
was requirement of hight
cintercaptor. A deal
was made with Chua to supply Mig
19 (recovered by the PAF as F-6).
Mirage III was selected as a high performance aircraft but due to high
cost, few planes could be procured.
3. Some
improvement was made in ground
defences and the air defence
capability. Rwaways were
developed and statellites established. The rapid firing guns supplied by China added
to the ground defence of the basis.
War of 1971
1. The
classical theory of defence of East Pakistan was based on
strategy that an attack in the East from India would mean a
receprocal attack from Pakistan in the West.
2. PAF out of her limited resources,
placed only one squaddron in East
Pakistan.
3. The
strategy was yet to be fiwabsed the
following options were aval:-
a. To
launch an offensie on IAF bases.
b. To
go for intensive ground support of Pakistan Army.
c. To
face on the defensive and sort out IAF over its
own shares.
4. The limitation of PAF :-
a. The
PAF did not have aircraft pene_______
deep into en territory.
Mirage III were few and
canot be used freely
as an offensice. IN order to be successful had to suffer certain losses.
b. With
the rewaral of East Pakistan demount from the PAF, shortags were experienced in manpower, especially
in the fields of airccrew and technical trades.
c. Some East Pakistan airforce personnel went out
to the Indian side
and comprohoused classified information about Pakistan's air defence.
d. Mig 19
(F-6) was inducted for air defence
and close support roles, but not
all aircrafts had been modified to carry air to air mesiles. This was a
handicap in air combat.
The radius of action of these planes
was low, giving them
very short, duration.
The F-6, therefore could
not play an
effective role lof close support.
e. The concept
of close support
had not received sufficient attention at the joint
army - airforce level and it was thus a vague option open to the PAF.
f. PAF
had established sstellites (small bases) but had no air compount of aircrafts
and could nto commi itself to any major role without knowing the real designs
of the enemy.
h. Pakistan Governments
war policy was not clear. The likely
duration of war, over
own objectioves, the extent
to which PAF
could commit, all
this was undecided and
allowed very little room for
PAF to manoeuvre.
PAF
in this total situation of confusion prevailing adopted priority of self
preservation.
OUT BREK OF 1971
WAR
The
war in the air fought over the shees of East and
West Pakistan on 22nd November 1971.
East Pakistan
1. The war statiooned in East Pakistan
before 3rd December 71. Only one
F-86 sqn (sqn -14) was
stationed at Dacca.
This squadron had to face ten
squadron comprosing of Mig 21s, SU-7, Ghats
and Hunters. It was no war situation but
the squadron fought even the
runway had been cratered. The
pre__________ air of this small dedicated group of PAF personnels
was to same the Dacca Air Field.
a. En
Superiority in Numbers. Main obj of
IAF was to destroy Dacca Air Field in order to
incapable the No 14 squadron. Initially
they failed to achieve and heavy
casualties were inflicted on the raid.
The Ghants and Hunters forced
ineffective against F-86.
b. EnSuperiority in High Performance
Aircraft. India thre a large number of new supersonic aircrafts MIG-21
in the struggle and on
8th Dec enter Dacca Air
Field because unoperative, but eleven F-86 sabres
remains vitact.
West Pakistan
Scene
2. Air
was started in 3rd December 1971,
India employed the __________ in the West pub failed. PAF launched an offensive on
the forgetting the Indian Air
Base at Palhamhot, Amritsar, Avantipura, Srinagar, Ultartai,
Agra and Ambala. IAF retabiated against. PAF in great strength. The main objective of IAF was to destroy PAF and therefore IAF tried to strike each and every base, including the staellites and emrg
enemy airships but little damage
was caused. IAF a
good employement. IAF
help the pressure for three days
- 4th, 5th and 6th December.
3. On
7th PAF strile
back. IAF changed
the tactics and targetsIAF started
attacking cities and
areas of cujhian population. These
raids wer aimed to lower the morale
of the people but of no so
strategic value.
4. PAF
due to auscutable aircrafts could
not give ful close support
to ground forces. Where as Indian surtched
over the Squadron from Eastern
sector. IAF has planning of
aircrafts and pilots in reserve.
5. The was came to an end on 16th
December. Total losses were not
more than 15 aircrafts.
The entire strength
of Mirage squadron was unscalhed.
Overcome of War
1. Indian
lost a good deal of aircrafts in 1st phase of
war, due to wrong employment of aircrafts against the
targets and offensive launched by
PAF.
2. Due
to paucity of aircrafts, enterciption was checked
but radis against civilian population of Lahore and Karachi could not be
completely stopped.
3. There
was not strategic aim of IAF regarding
attacks on civil population.
4. IAF
supported well in close support to its
ground forces, for which she was
full preperation, IAF had pleanty of
aircrafts for this role.
5. Indian had a big advantage in number of
aircrafts.
6. PAF checked the untrusion of IAF to the
maximum possible.
7. IAF could not destroy the PASF
therefore unable to guarantee the
favourable air situation to India
Army. Indian Army
gave away move aubitious plans.
8. PAF
by persuing itself as a detercrant of IAF, the pite of East Pakistan Sector came to standstall.
Glossary
Air
superiority.
The ability to exercise sufficient control over particular airspace at
particular time as to be able to carry out one's own
air operations effectively with little
or no enemy interference while, at the same time
denying the same opportunity to him.
Air
supremacy.
Usually indicates a broader and longer degree of control
of airspace and would tend to be associated with a campaign
and theatre of operations rather than a single or limited engagement.
Close air support. Used to describe air attack on enemy ground forces
which may actually be in contact with
friendly ground forces.
Combat
air patrol.
Describes the mounting of standing patrols by armed interceptors across
the potential tracks of intruding enemy aircraft, or in the vicinity of a
particular target area.
Combat
radius.
The combat radius of an aircraft is the
distance which it can fly from
its base, complete its operation
activity and return to base. An
alternative expression may be `operation
radius' and both expressions should be distinguished from `range' which usually
signifies a single journey between
two separate points and may or
may not include the carriage of weapons.
Command
of the air.
Denotes the absolute control of airspace, as opposed to the more limited concepts of air
superiority or air supremacy.
Counter-air operations. Designed to achieve air superiority or air supremacy by attacking the
infrastructure of enemy air power, notably his airfields, but including
command, control communication, radars
and air defences.
Interdiction. The use of air power to sever supply links
and to dislocate, disrupt or destroy resources moving
along them, between an enemy's rear areas and the
battlefield, Thus battlefield interdiction `would imply air attack close to the
actual combat area, while deeper
interdiction would imply longer-range
attacks on roads railways, bridges, etc.
Maritime operations. All air activities associated with
naval forces are referred to as `maritime operations'.
Stand-off. Refers to an aircraft"s ability to
launch air-to-surface weapons
some distance from the
actual target instead actually over-flying the target to
drop `free-fall' weapons.
Introduction
1. The twentieth century has seen the face of
warfare changed by the exploitation of `the third dimension' of
the skies. The first manned flight as
KittyWawk USA in 1903 has brought
revolution in the warfare. It was
a small flight of few seconds but a
giant leap for markend. Between the pioneering achievement
of Wright brothers and the
destruction of Japanese city. Hiroshima
by one bomb from a single aeroplane the role of science of flight in
internation affairs sketched in hold outline.
2. After world war II, airpower emerged with ever
increasing prominence as an instrumentality o the statecraft and
strategy of nations. USA emerged as the
most powerful nation with overwhelming
aerial superiority. USA
successfully use the advantage of her
airforce in dominating the policies of other nations golbally.
Now every country desires to have a strong
airforce to safeguard her
fronters. Air power is also being used
as a deterrence and composing the will of a country on others.
3. It is
probable that in twenty first century, the space will become
the high ground to be seized and either
commanded or denied to the adversary, i.e the future battlefield
for an airwarfare, ie space warfare.
Aim. The aim of the research to carry out the
study of evolution of air power, its
effects on warfare with special
reference to over environment.
Scope. The scope of this research paper encompasses
the following aspects:-
a. Evolution of airpower.
b. Tactical theories and concepts before
World War II.
c. Significant role of air power in World
War II.
d. Various
___________ warfares in
support of land forces, _______ power and acting independently.
e. Indo - Pakistan Scenario wars of 1965
and 1971.
f. Future of air power.
Role
of Air Power
The roles in which the airpower is used in
support of National Defence Policy are the following :-
a. Strategic Air Strikes.
b. Air Defence.
c. Tactical.
d. Air Transport.
e. Air Reconnaissance.
f. Maritive.
Selected
Bibliography
1. Major
General J>F>C Fuller, the conduct of War 1789-1961.
2. Emme,
the impact of Air Power.
3. M.J Arnitage
and R.A Mason, Air Power in the
Nuclear Age 1945 - 1982.
4. Air
Vice Martial R.A Mason, War in the Third Dimension.
5. Bruce. W. Watson, Bruce George, Peter Tsouras and
B.L Cys, Military Lessons of the Gulf
War.
6. Toha
Tricker Battle for Pakistan 1965 War.
7. Syed
Shabbir Hussain and Squadron Leader M. Tariq Qureshi.
8. College of
Staff Studies Pakistan Air Force ISSC -
I Air Operation Exercise No 1.
9. College of Staff Studies, Pakistan Air Force ISSC -
II Air Operation Exercise No. 2.
10. Air
Power study command and staff college Quetta 1986 Staff Course.
11. Falkland
War GHQ Training Note.
12. Encyclopedia
America.
ABSTRACT
In the
study of air power, the
emergence of air
power, starting from the first flight of an aircraft by Wright brothers in
190 to th use uptill word war II.
The concepts of and theories of
various prologonists of air
power which are
Douhet, Trenchard and Tedder.
Various mode of strategies applied
by Allied and Germans, have been studies.
The role of air power and its effects has been
carried and air power being operated independently in
various conpaign has been highlighted.
The air
power is also studied in the
context of Indo -
Pakistan scanrio, their effect, the use
and outcome of the war are pen down.
In the
end, airpower prove to the only
significant power which can
change the diplomatic relations between the cou____ and being the immediate
_______ results.
This post was written by: Franklin Manuel
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