- 5th Generation Aviation
Combat Air
Combat Air (CA) is the heart of Joint Air Power. NATO’s ability to deter and defend relies on the freedom of manoeuvre throughout all domains. CA contributes to that freedom by providing Air Superiority, Suppression of Enemy Air Defences, Air Interdiction, Electromagnetic Operations, Close Air Support, Integrated Air and Missile Defence, NATO Ballistic Missile Defence, and Personnel Recovery. This Branch incorporates manned and unmanned platforms, with fixed and rotary-wing aircraft, and draws from all components within Alliance air and space forces.
Featured Publications
Rebalancing Combat Aviation Training
Integrating Synthetic Environments for Multi-Domain Readiness
Combat pilots have always preferred to fly, and throughout history that preference has shaped how militaries train. However, for the past several decades, simulator training has supplemented live flight hours. As synthetic environments grow in [...]
Deterrence in the Multi-Generational Battlespace
From Westphalia to Hybrid Warfare
In October of 1648, Swedish forces launched a daring assault on Prague, storming its fortifications while Imperial defenders fought desperately to hold the city. Artillery thundered across the Vltava River as disciplined infantry formations clashed [...]
Countering Russia’s Glide Bomb Warfare in Ukraine
Observations and Lessons for NATO on Neutralising Long-Range Weapons
The Russia-Ukraine war has served as a proving ground for military innovation on both sides of the conflict. While Ukrainian forces pioneered small, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) technology to stall ground assaults, Russia’s most effective [...]
