Welcome to the 41st edition of the JAPCC Journal. As the Alliance navigates a security landscape defined by rapid technological shifts and geographic expansion, with crisis in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, our role in fostering innovation and interoperability has never been more critical.
For the first time in our history, the JAPCC has established an Annual Theme to focus our research, publications, and our flagship 2026 Joint Air and Space Power Conference: Air Power at the Edge: Securing NATO’s New Frontiers. This theme takes to heart NATO’s 360-degree approach, an approach that transcends geographic and political boundaries; it explores the ‘edge’ of our conceptual, digital, and cognitive boundaries. Our Chief of Staff, Colonel Kevin ‘Tread’ Anderson, provides a comprehensive introduction to the theme later in this edition, articulating the shift from reactive scan to proactive exploration of emerging threats, from the High North to the Indo-Pacific and into near space.
To identify and analyse Air Power’s edge, it is our honour to feature leadership perspectives on Alliance cohesion from Lieutenant General Hinds, Commander of AIRCOM, and General Neumann, the German Air Chief. Complementing these operational Air Power perspectives, the CFSpCC Chief of Staff highlights the growing importance of the vertical frontier.
The articles in this edition explore readiness and technology at the limits of defined Air and Space Power. We draw on observations from both recent and historical conflict to identify implications for NATO deterrence and defence in modern conflict. Taking a comprehensive view of warfare in the post-Westphalian era, one author examines the evolving character of warfare viewed through a multi-generational lens, and highlights the paradox of high-technology drones operating above trench warfare. With a view towards contemporary trends, two of our Combat Air experts assess challenges and opportunities posed by glide bombs in an era of increasingly denied air environments. At the tactical level, we explore gaps and developments in software-defined radios, tactical data links, and effects-as-a-service, questioning whether our current capabilities and training truly align with the demands of the future fight.
Several JAPCC authors and contributors analyse integration and preparation across domains; the convergence of SEAD and CEMA, and the utility of wargaming to refine targeting processes. Finally, recognising that the human mind remains our decisive advantage, this edition addresses the development of cognitive resilience and accelerated skill acquisition, ensuring that our personnel are prepared for the demands of the modern cognitive frontier.
The JAPCC remains committed to looking past the smoke of current conflicts to identify the embers of future challenges. We invite you to join us in pushing conventional limits and finding the edge, both within these pages and at our forthcoming conference, as we collectively define the future of NATO air and space power.
Vito Cracas
Colonel, ITA AF
Assistant Director, JAPCC
