Aerial Warfare: History of American War

History Of American War: Aerial Warfare

Since time immemorial, warring sides in battles have sought ways of gaining strategic advantages over their enemies. Those who manage to get that one crucial advantage during war have an added advantage and, hence, a higher probability of winning the war. For a long time, militaries from across the world have sought to take to the air and advance their ability to not only launch attacks at enemy lines but also defend their positions. Prior to the first word war, flight was largely focused on the collection of field information, including sighting of enemies and guiding of troops. This was during the hot balloon era, where the said aerial devices could be used to gain bird's eye view of the battle field.

It is important to note that although the Unites States, the only remaining world superpower, boasts of a fully fledged Air Force wing and a fleet of some of the best and advanced aerial military devices, the country's military airpower was weak pre-Word War I - like was the case with most other countries. The development and further advancement of U.S. military airpower has been a long but exciting journey.

The fact that the country has participated in two world wars and several other military conflicts has provided it with an opportunity to not only test but also demonstrate its superior airpower. Thanks to such encounters, the U.S. has also further sharpened its fighter tactics as fat as air battles are concerned. As a matter of fact, the country's superior airpower has been instrumental in not only the Iraqi war, but also Afghanistan war. In view of the highlighted developments, the relevance of reviewing the history and impact of aviation in wartime cannot be overstated. In so doing, this text will discuss

Aviation in Wartime: Focus on the United States

Aerial Warfare and Military Aviation: An Overview

Aerial warfare is as deadly as it is strategic. Indeed, the strategic benefits of aircraft utilization in warfare cannot be matched in a machine-oriented civilization. This is particularly the case given that airpower eliminates the need for military personnel to maneuver cumbersome terrains and engage the enemy on the ground. Aircraft is also difficult to counter.

Military aviation, in basic terms, has got to do with the utilization of aircraft in the conduct of warfare. In that regard, therefore, military aircraft, in the words of Abeyratne (2012, p. 3) could be "defined as aircraft that are designed or modified for highly specialized use by the armed forces." It would be prudent to, at this point, highlight the various kinds of military aircraft that have been used in wartime scenarios. These include reconnaissance, transport, fighter and bomber aircraft.

Reconnaissance Aircraft: this kind of aircraft comes in handy in the conduction of aerial survey of enemy positions or otherwise (for military intelligence purposes). Although reconnaissance has in the past been carried out by manned aircraft, it is increasingly becoming a standard for the same to be conducted using unmanned aircraft that could be designed to not only conduct imagery of target areas but also intercept signals.

Transport Aircraft: transport aircraft help in the movement of troops and military hardware.

Fighter Aircraft: they are manufactured for purposes of air-to-air combat. In addition to speed, they are designed for maximum maneuverability and agility. They are also smaller -- in comparison to other kinds of military aircraft that largely focus on ground targets (Abeyratne, 2012). It is, however, important to note that although fighter aircraft also have capabilities for ground attacks, these come as a secondary capability.

Bomber Aircraft: these, as the name suggests, are of great strategic importance during wartime. Although they have in the past been designed to fire torpedoes or drop bombs on ground targets, recent bomber aircraft have the capability of firing cruise missiles (Messenger, 2013).

Utilization of Aircraft in War

Brief History

Prior to World War I, aircraft had not been used extensively in war. The only airborne machinery that had been actively used (mainly for surveillance purposes) prior to World War I were tethered balloons (Dugdale-Pointon, 2007). These were mainly used to direct both mortar and artillery fire to the relevant targets -- in what is referred to as artillery spotting.

World War I (1914 to 1918)

This could be regarded as the United State's first aerial warfare engagement. On this basis, a bit of some background information would be relevant for the discussion at hand. America was drawn into World War I by Germany's move to consistently sink American Civilian ships -- in total violation of the 'Sussex Pledge.' There was also the infamous telegraph that Germany had sent Mexico promising to help recover some territory the latter had relinquished to the U.S. (Conlin, 2013). All these facilitated the move to declare war on Germany.

At the onset of World War I, airplanes were largely used for observation purposes. According to Dugdale-Pointon (2007), from the onset, Germany was actively making use of rigid airships that were commonly referred to as Zeppelin. Counties like France were, at the very beginning, largely relying on aircraft for recognizance purposes, as opposed to active combat. However, by the time the U.S. was being drawn into the war (in 1917), Great Britain and France were utilizing combat aircraft, albeit sparingly. It was not until 1918 that the Air Service was established, resulting in the creation of the very first United States aerial warfare force (Air Force Historical Research Agency - AFHRA, 2008).

In the words of the Air Force Historical Research Agency - AFHRA (2008), "despite a combat record of only nine months (February to November 1918), the Air Service made a respectable showing during World War I." It is important to note that as AFHRA (2008) further points out, by November 1918, the total number of U.S. aircraft allotted to squadrons stood at 740 -- representing approximately "10% of the total aircraft strength of Allied nations" ( AFHRA, 2008). This was, by any measure, immense improvement. It firmly set the Air Service on the path to greatness as a strategic and tactical war unit.

During the first nine months, from February 1918, the Air Service made a great showing -- managing to execute more than 100 bombings. As AFHRA (2008) points out, "in all, the Air Service downed 756 enemy aircraft and 76 enemy balloons, while losing 289 airplanes and 48 balloons."

World War II (1939-1945)

Despite the great showing during the late periods of the First World War, America's aerial power become of age during the Second World War. It is, however, important to note that the development of aircraft technology was rather fast between World War I and World War II. In 1918, the airplanes available for deployment were largely inefficient: most were air-cooled and had wooden frames (Lorell, 2003).

By the time the Second World War was commencing, however, aircraft altitudes as well as speeds had been doubled or tripled. This significantly increased not only the payload but also the range of military aircraft. It should be noted that as Lorell (2003) points out, at this point, many theorists as well as military strategists - both within and outside the U.S. -- were of the opinion that future wars would be won by those with the ability and the capability to effect or cause widespread destruction of enemy installations (both industrial and military) from the air. In 1932, Stanley Baldwin, the British Prime Minister at the time, cautioned that "it was time for the man in the street to realize there is no power on earth that can protect him from bombing" of an aerial nature (Head and Tilford, 1996, p. 310).

During the Second World War, the U.S. military aviation service in place was the United States Army Air Forces -- USAAF. By 1942, USAAF had, as part of its inventory, four-engine high-altitude bombers (Murphy and McNiece, 2009). These particular aircraft were equipped with advanced defensive armament and could be commissioned in large groups to conduct daytime air attacks on prime targets. Germany, thanks to these new bombers, had its war economy badly hit. At this time, there were those who, according to Murphy and McNiece (2009), were convinced that heavy bombers did not require escort fighters due to their large tactical formations. This is an assertion that was, however, disputed.

It is important to note that during World War Two, Germany's weakening was, to a large extent, the direct consequence of consistent aerial bombardment from Allies. As a result, Luftwaffe was sufficiently weakened, and later, the integrity of Germany's skies (and hence ground targets) could not be guaranteed. Although this was not sufficient to win the war for the allies, it was instrumental in weakening of Germany and its partners.

Aerial warfare was taken to a whole new level, as far as potentiality for widespread destruction is concerned, after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings. In what eventually informed the surrender of the Japanese, the bombings resulted in mass deaths and destruction of a scale that had not been witnessed before. Below, I highlight the aircraft models that were mainly used by the U.S. during the Second World War. These will be classified as per the kinds of wartime aircrafts highlighted elsewhere in this text.

Bomber Aircraft: The bombers mainly used during this war were the Boeing B-29 Superfortress, Boeng XB-15, Brewster XA-32 and the CAC Wirraway (Lorell, 2003). The Boeing B-29 Superfortress was the one responsible for the dropping of the atomic bombs over Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Transport Aircraft: the United States made use of such models as Boeng C-108 Flying Fortress, Lockheed Model 10 Electra, Waco CG-3, and Douglas C-54 Skymaster for transportation and logistical purposes (Lorell, 2003).

Reconnaissance Aircraft: by 1941, the United States had begun to appreciate the need for reconnaissance aircraft. However, most of the aircraft used for aerial situational awareness at first were modifications of other aircraft. This was the case with the Lockheed A-12 Super Electra.

Fighter Aircraft: at the beginning of the Second World War, most of the fighter aircraft the United States had access to were inferior to those of opposing forces (Dugdale-Pointon, 2007). It should, however, be noted that as the war progressed, the U.S. aviation industry was able to develop models that came in handy as the U.S. military sought to gain air superiority. Fighter aircraft in this case included the Grumman H6F Hellcat, the Northrop P-61 Black Widow, the North American P-51 Mustang, and the Bell P-39 Airacobra (Lorell, 2003).

The Korean War (1950-1953)

There was massive utilization of fighter jets during the Korean War. Some of the combat jets that were extensively made use of included F4U Corsair and P-51 Mustang. While these two kinds of aircraft were propeller-powered, the skies were also dominated by other models such as F9F Panthers and F-80s that were, essentially, turbojets.

It is important to note that, effectively, the newly self-reliant U.S. Air Force's shooting capabilities were tested during the Korean War. As Murphy and McNiece (2009) point out, this war marked the very first time that United States was making use of jet aircraft in battle. Other dominant U.S. jets included, but they were not limited to the F-86 Sabre jets and the MiG-15s -- with the latter being soviet-built (Lorell, 2003). This particular war also saw the retirement of Second World War era aircraft such as B-29 Superfortresses and the F-51D Mustangs. Although battle tired, the B-29s were of great relevance when it came to the attacking of military installations and other critical targets in North Korea (Lorell, 2003). However, as I have already pointed out, the greatest show was put by the likes of F-86 Sabre.

It should also be noted that in addition to the utilization of jets, USAF units also made specialized utilization of the likes of the A-26A Invader and the A-1 Skyraider (Murphy and McNiece, 2009). The two were largely counterinsurgency aircraft. According to Murphy and McNiece (2009), the total casualties suffered by the USAF during this particular war was 1,841. On the other hand, the number of aircraft lost in action were 1,466 (Murphy and McNiece, 2009).

As I have already pointed out elsewhere in this text, the newly self-reliant U.S. Air Force's shooting capabilities were tested during the Korean War. In that regard, therefore, it would be prudent to also categorize the aircraft used on the basis of the kinds of military aircraft that have been used in wartime scenarios. These include reconnaissance, transport, fighter and bomber aircraft.

Reconnaissance Aircraft: some of the aircraft used for reconnaissance during the Korean War include the Convair RB-36D Peacemaker, the North American RB-45 Tornado, Boeng RB-50A Superfortress, Boeng RB/SB-17G Flying fortress and the RF-86 Sabre (Lorell, 2003). Convair RB-36D Peacemakers were largely utilized in high altitude reconnaissance missions towards the end of thee war.

It should be noted that in some cases, reconnaissance aircraft such as the North American RB-45 Tornado were valuable targets. For this reason, they had to be escorted by fighter jets most of the time. The relevance of the reconnaissance aircraft listed above cannot be overstated in this particular war as far as aerial photography of targets and bomb damage assessment is concerned.

Transport Aircraft: as I have indicated elsewhere in this text, transport aircraft help in the movement of troops and military hardware during wartime situations. This was also largely the case during the Korean War. The transportation aircraft employed at this time included Douglas C-124 Globemaster II, Curtiss C-46 Commando, and the Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxar (Lorell, 2003). These aircraft types proved critical in the airlifting of military personnel and supplies.

Fighter Aircraft: Fighter aircraft made use of included the North America F-86A/E/F Sabre, the Republic F-84E Thunderjet, the North American F-82F/G Twin Mustang and the Lockhead F-94B Starfire (Lorell, 2003).

In addition to clearing the skies by shooting down Korean aircraft that ventured into the airfields, fighter aircraft also conducted ground attacks and was also actively used in the escort of other aircraft.

Bomber Aircraft: there were several types of these employed during the Korean War. Some of these included, but they were not limited to, Douglas B-26 Invader and Boeing B-29 Fortress (Lorell, 2003). These aircraft were extensively used to bring about damage to enemy infrastructure such as bridges, dams, as well as railroads - with an aim of bringing about confusion and chocking off enemy supplies.

Vietnam War (1955 to 1975)

While the Korean War became synonymous with the significant utilization of fighter jets, Vietnam War saw the massive utilization of helicopters by the United States. Some of the helicopters that were heavily utilized during this particular conflict were the UH-1 Huey helicopter, the CH-47 Chinook and the CH-54 Tarhe, and the AH-1Cobra (Gross, 2002). However, it was the UH-1 Huey helicopter that was most extensively used during this war -- eventually becoming the Vietnam War symbol (Gross, 2002).

The CH-47 Chinook and the CH-54 Tarhe helicopter models were extremely important when it came to logistics -- they could carry as well as lift heavy loads, including arterially and military vehicles. All in all, helicopters were critical when it came to the distribution of troops and evacuation of injured personnel throughout the war. Bombings considered strategic were undertaken by such models as the AC-47 gunships, Dauglas A-1 Skyrider aircraft, and the B-26 Invaders (Gross, 2002).