| Air Force air power is the integrated employment of all air and space forces to control and exploit the air and space environments to achieve national security objectives. Air power exploits the properties of its operating medium to realize unique operational characteristics and thus employs unique capabilities to provide the nation a broad range of military options. Air power's speed, range, and elevation are unique. Air power derives these characteristics from its operating medium that has few obstructions, covers the globe, and has vertical depth. The speed, range, and elevation of air power can be exploited to achieve unmatched responsiveness, mobility, and perspective. These capabilities, when properly employed through centralized control - decentralized execution, priority, balance, and concentration provide a range of military options to meet national security interests across the spectrum of peace, crisis, and armed conflict. Air power's strengths are air superiority, reliable global mobility, rapid global employment, and acute global awareness. These strengths are unique and are fundamental to the Air Force mission. Through these strengths the Air Force adds an unmatched expertise and military capability to the nation's defense force. Air power is singularly the force with global agility. Because air power responds rapidly with global awareness to provide lethal and non-lethal force, it is the most responsive and versatile element of national military power. Air ... |
