The Royal Air Force has been in the vanguard of thinking on Air Power since the publication of its first statement on doctrine in 1928. Today the generation of Air Power must take into account both ‘jointery’ and multinational operations - themes that are reflected in the focus of this document and its title. Thus, the third edition of British Air Power Doctrine stresses the need for our Armed Forces to be trained and ready to meet an enormous variety of tasks which in turn requires our doctrine to be relevant, dynamic and flexible.

With the certainties of the Cold War now a fading memory, subsequent conflicts in the Gulf and the Balkans have reminded us that the world remains a violent, dangerous and unpredictable place. But, as a singular certainty for the future, we may rest assured that Air Power, in all or any of its many guises, will continue to play a full part in the resolution of crises at any level of conflict. In our rapidly changing world, we must not allow doctrine to become dogma. Thus, to ensure its continuing relevance, doctrine must reflect a process of continuing review that examines definitions and concepts, as well as the roles and missions of Air Power.

This document provides an authoritative and up to date doctrinal statement to guide commanders at all levels by shaping their thinking on the successful employment of Air Power in crisis or war. That said, application will require military judgement to accommodate the many and variable circumstances of a strategic environment that remains fraught with uncertainty.

I commend it to your attention.

FOREWORD
By the Chief of the Air Staff
Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Johns
GCB CBE LVO ADC FRAeS RAF

Visit British Air Power Doctrine, Third Edition Download Page

You can download the publication in PDF format.

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
LONDON: THE STATIONERY OFFICE

INTRODUCTION

Purpose

The purpose of this document is to offer guidance to those involved with the application of air power in a military context. This context is shaped by the contemporary strategic environment, described in the UK 1998 Strategic Defence Review (SDR). The SDR signposts the direction for UK security policy towards expeditionary operations with the central strategic themes of flexibility and mobility for the UK armed forces. SDR has offered a focus for British Defence Policy and for the development of joint doctrine.

The principles that guide the employment of air power are enduring. Indeed, those fundamental principles contribute to the development of defence policy, campaign plans and air operations. The first edition of this document was produced at the end of the Cold War and was relevant in that context. The second edition incorporated the lessons from the Gulf War. Now, the contemporary strategic environment makes it appropriate to examine extant doctrine and labels for relevance. Air power platforms and systems have a vital role at all levels of warfare in joint and multinational operations. This new edition of AP 3000 explains how air power is applied to maximum effect around the spectrum of conflict.

Part One - The Strategic Context

AP 3000 Third Edition adopts a fresh approach to air power doctrine. It is structured in three parts, each with a distinctive aim. The aim of Part One, the strategic context, is to outline the fundamental principles which guide the employment of air power. This section, although relevant to all, is aimed at the joint commander or joint force commander. Chapter 1, the nature of war and armed conflict, describes the nature of conflict, classifies the types of conflict now recognised by the family of UK doctrine and highlights the concepts which relate to the use of military force in the national interest.

Chapter 2 examines the fundamental characteristics of air power in detail and relates them to the UK Principles of War and the manoeuvrist approach. It offers a conceptual model for the effective employment of air power.

Chapter 3 examines the command and control of air power and introduces the component command model.

Part Two - Air Power Core Capabilities

Part Two is the doctrinal heart of the document. It is aimed directly at both the practitioner and those who need to understand air power. It introduces and defines seven UK air power core capabilities.

Information Exploitation

The first core capability, information exploitation, highlights the vital role air power has to play in providing platforms and systems to gather data, to offer around the clock reconnaissance and surveillance and to provide an integrated intelligence picture through the timely fusion of data and information. This core capability is covered in Chapter 4.

Control of the Air

The second core capability is control of the air. A degree of control of the air has been a critical factor for mission success in military operations since the birth of air-to-air combat. Since World War One, air superiority has been recognised as a decisive military factor. Air superiority or air supremacy must not be assumed; opponents can and will challenge western air power with increasingly sophisticated surface-to-air missiles, manned fighter aircraft and other air defences. Thus, the amount of military effort required to achieve a degree of control of the air will depend on the context and scenario. Chapter 5 describes the complex considerations that apply to gaining and maintaining air superiority and the defence/offence balance.

Strategic Effect

Throughout its history, air power has been employed for strategic effect. Strategic effect, the third core capability, is much more than the bombardment of targets with high explosive. Once key target sets are identified and analysed, destruction via bombing may not be the most effective way of achieving an objective. For example, in coercive operations the denial of key facilities for a specific time may be more effective than total destruction. Strategic effect and effects-based targeting requires a shift in mindset away from the traditional view of strategic bombing and represents an important change in doctrine. Air power for strategic effect is covered in Chapter 6.

Joint Force Employment

The entire focus of this document is joint and multinational. The use of air power in joint and combined operations is the preferred method of employment. Chapters 7, 8 and 9 cover the contribution of air power to joint and multinational operations within the heading of joint force employment.

❏Indirect and Direct Air Operations. Chapter 7 describes the fourth core capability, indirect and direct air operations. The use of air power in indirect air operations or anti-surface operations such as air interdiction offers a key contribution to the joint battle by shaping the battlespace to enable surface manoeuvre. Direct air operations such as close air support contribute to the joint battle with air operations conducted in close proximity to own forces, which may require control as well as coordination.

❏Combat Support. Chapter 8 highlights the fifth core capability, combat support. Combat support air operations are pervasive in the joint campaign. From tactical reconnaissance and the suppression of enemy air defences, through air-to-air refuelling, to rotary or fixed-wing air transport, the use of air power to support other operations acts as an important force multiplier.

❏Force Protection. Chapter 9 identifies the sixth core capability, force protection. Commanders have always had to pay heed to protection of bases, personnel and supplies. In an era of expeditionary operations, weapon proliferation and asymmetric strategies, force protection takes on new dimensions. Political and military considerations require that commanders and staffs alike pay due attention to force protection. This is another important change of doctrine, subsuming combat service support and ground defence into a more all-embracing concept.

Sustainability

Chapter 10 introduces the seventh core capability, sustainability. Recently adopted by the UK as a principle of war, sustainability is more than logistics; it embraces equipment, personnel and training. In Chapter 10, the requirements of air power are placed in an overall context of joint and multinational sustainability. To mount and sustain air operations at long range from the home base requires considerable resources and integrated logistic support. Previous editions of AP 3000 focused largely upon operations from home base or for forces with specialist logistical support. For expeditionary operations, the sustainability element could be critical to mission success. Thus, sustainability is a fundamental core capability of air power.

Application of Core Capabilities

This document takes a holistic approach to the joint employment of air power. The core capabilities embrace all air operations, roles and missions. Certain mission types will fall within more than one core capability. For example, the suppression of enemy air defences role could be tasked as a control of the air mission, as joint force employment, or, possibly, for strategic effect. It will depend on the prevailing circumstances. The overlap is deliberate. For maximum effect, therefore, core capabilities should be viewed as a flexible doctrine to match air power capabilities to a campaign plan.

Part Three - Evolution of Air Power Doctrine

Part Three, the evolution of air power doctrine, is aimed at the education process. Chapter 11 explains the nature of doctrine from a UK perspective. It focuses upon where AP 3000 Third Edition fits into the overall family tree of UK doctrine. The primary source document is British Defence Doctrine (BDD) which is aimed at the strategic level. At the operational level, The United Kingdom Doctrine for Joint and Multinational Operations (UKOPSDOC) offers the ‘how’ to plan for joint and multinational operations. This document complements environmental doctrine for the Royal Navy, BR 1806 (2nd Edition) British Maritime Doctrine and the British Army’s British Military Doctrine (BMD). AP 3000 Third Edition also guides tactical doctrine for air operations.

Chapter 12 offers a brief history of air power doctrine. Many of the air roles and missions contained in this document have their origins in the First World War. During the inter-war period, many promises were made for air power which could not be delivered with existing technology. Air doctrine developed rapidly during the Second World War, embracing virtually all contemporary roles and missions. During the Cold War, air power doctrine became fixated with the nuclear role; it was the successive shocks of regional conflicts such as the Arab/Israeli wars and the Vietnam War which forced western air forces to develop new air power doctrine for conventional forces.

Chapter 12 traces the development of the phases of air power doctrine from a British perspective.

Chapter 13 contains a list of air power terms and definitions. This glossary has been extensively updated from the second edition and should be of use to all involved in the study of air power in joint operations. Chapter 14 offers an extensive and updated selection of further reading to guide those who wish to delve deeper into the military application of air power.

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