Can Air Power Alone Win a War? We’re About to Find Out

As we’ve watched the overwhelming US and Israeli strikes on Iran over the last few days, one question I’m being asked repeatedly is: Can air power alone win a war? In Operation Epic Fury, we are about to find out.

In my military career, I participated in two conflicts where air power — without the presence or significant threat of combat boots on the ground — primarily determined the outcome. The first was the war to protect Kosovo in the late 1990s; the other was the Libyan conflict in 2011. In both cases, we saw the powerful capabilities — and the major challenges — of using air power alone.