History of U.S. Aerial Warfare: From WWI to Modern Combat

Introduction to U.S. Military Airpower

Since time immemorial, warring sides in battles have sought ways of gaining strategic advantages over their enemies. Those who manage to secure that one crucial advantage during war increase their probability of winning. For a long time, militaries from across the world have sought to take to the air — advancing their ability not only to launch attacks at enemy lines but also to defend their positions. Prior to the First World War, flight was largely focused on the collection of field information, including the sighting of enemies and the guiding of troops. This was during the hot-air balloon era, when such aerial devices could be used to gain a bird's-eye view of the battlefield.

It is important to note that although the United States — the only remaining world superpower — boasts a fully fledged Air Force and a fleet of some of the most advanced aerial military devices in existence, the country's military airpower was weak before World War I, as was the case with most other nations. The development and further advancement of U.S. military airpower has been a long but remarkable journey.

The fact that the country has participated in two world wars and several other military conflicts has provided it with opportunities not only to test but also to demonstrate its superior airpower. Thanks to such encounters, the U.S. has also sharpened its fighter tactics in air combat. The country's superior airpower has been instrumental in both the Iraq War and the war in Afghanistan. In view of these developments, the relevance of reviewing the history and impact of aviation in wartime cannot be overstated.

Aerial Warfare and Military Aviation: An Overview

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

Military aviation, in basic terms, refers to the utilization of aircraft in the conduct of warfare. In that regard, 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 is useful to 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 for conducting aerial surveys of enemy positions or for gathering military intelligence. Although reconnaissance has in the past been carried out by manned aircraft, it is increasingly standard for the same to be conducted using unmanned aircraft designed not only to capture imagery of target areas but also to intercept signals.

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

Fighter Aircraft: These are manufactured for 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 important to note that although fighter aircraft also have ground-attack capabilities, these come as a secondary function.

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