The Evolution of Air-to-Air Warfare

Will future air-to-air combat follow the norms that previous major conflicts have witnessed? It is possible that future peer-on-peer combat will result in more intense air battles, compared with those seen since the Vietnam War, Middle East and Falklands conflicts, with all sides potentially experiencing high attrition rates. The requirement for an appropriate air dominance system compels assessment. Before this can be done, it is important to understand how AAS have performed in the past. Evaluating statistical trends in historic air-to-air combat allows for a methodical approach in analysing the effectiveness of the types of weapon systems which were used, and those which may be required in the future. Addressing the question of how often more lethal or effective weaponry determines tactical outcomes requires the examination of statistical data. The best evidence comes from the domain of air-to-air combat. There is a large amount of data available from both actual and simulated air combat.