The World's Air Forces [antikvár]

INTRODUCTION Figures released by the renowned Stockholm Infernationai Peace Research Institute on the subject of military spending tn 1990 make interesting reading It is surely no surprise that global defence spending fell by 4 per cent, with the dramatic political upheavals m Eastern Europe, the soaring costs of defence systems, and the steady progress in superpower arms control talks cited as major influences And yet, the wars go on, no less than 31 major armed conflicts were waged in 1990. the majority of which have continued into 1991. And no-one can doubt that, for all the cuts in defence spending, the role of air power remains crucial and formidable. Over 150 nations around the world possess some form of air power, ranging from the modest transport fleet (hat can be counted on one hand to the tens of thousands of bombers, fighters, missiles, tankers etc of the superpowers. Whatever the size, whatever the mihtary capabilities of the world's air forces, those charged with the responsibility of acquiring, operating and maintaining the world's air forces know that air power is here to stay. In its most overt form. i( is a weapon of destruction; an awesome, brutal settler of conflicts, ruling from on high, Yet it can be — and often is — so much more. For the starving peoples' of Africa, it is a lifeline dropping the proverbial manna from heaven, for those in distress on a mountain face or at sea, it is a life-saver coming to the rescue; and for those threatened by the forces of nature, it is a valued ally in the fight against the ravages of fire, earthquakes and floods. So often such capabilities go unnoticed and unheralded, yet air forces around the world are conducting just such operations as you read these very words. The world perceives air power first and foremost bv virtue of its flghtinc prowess, and its use in conflict as a multi faceted weapon of destruction. And nowhere has the sheer versatility and importance of air power been better illustrated of late than m the Gulf War. That the Gulf War was a relatively short conflict was due in no small part to the formidable array of aircraft deployed by the coalition of nations intent on halting the advances of the Iraqi war machine. In both quality and quantity, the coalition, led from the front by the US Air Force, ruled the skies from the outset From the mass destruction wrought by mighty B-52 Stratofortress bombers to the unglamorous yet vital logistical support flights of "haulers" such as the C-130 Hercules, the Gulf War was proof positive that air power, however hightech or humble, remains an asset of inestimable influence at a time when many of the checks and balances that pervade modern history are being challenged. Does the spectacular success of air power during the Gulf War undermine the implicit message offered by the figures presented by the Stockholm Institute? Or could it be that the conflict represented the swan song of the world's air forces; one final fight before they fall victim to the blow torch in the name of world peace The answer is somewhere in the middle, heralding a new sense of realism as the world moves closer to the 21st Century. Conflicts around the world, be they major or minor, will continue, of that there can be no doubt. It is equally certain that the air forces of nations caught up in conflict will play their part be it offensive or defensive, or both. Yet' it is equally true that the latest technology is prohibitively expensive, keeping it out of the reach of many Third World forces. Al the other end of the scale, the pressure remains intense for the superpowers to continue cutting back on both military spending and current force levels. The "less is more" philosophy js gaining ground, increasing the pressure on the aerospace industry to produce ever more versatile, operationally capable aircraft, that can be deployed in smaller numbers without compromising, let alone degrading, the overall effectiveness of the operator How such varying demands and requirements are met will clearly influence air forces around the world. But the future begins today, and a thorough understanding and appreciation of the diversity, complexity and importance of the world's air forces is an essential prerequisite if the serious . student of military aviation is to be able , to appreciate the significance of changes, both military and political, that J will occur during this decade. The World's Air Forces provides the information you need in a highly comprehensive and heavily illustrated "ingle volume.