What does air power primarily mean?

• A. Air strikes
• B. Control of the air
• C. Air superiority
• D. Air dominance

Answer: (B)

Air power is the ability to use air and space forces to shape outcomes by ensuring freedom to operate in the air and denying that freedom to the enemy. The essential element is control of the air: you can project and sustain operations with reduced risk from adversaries, and you can deny their air capability to disrupt your missions. When you have that control, you can conduct air strikes, gather intelligence, provide airlift and close air support, and influence the battlespace across multiple domains. Air superiority and air dominance describe levels of control within air power, but the fundamental idea is about achieving and maintaining that control to enable all air-enabled actions.