editorial

Considering that the importance of air power and the utility of various platforms have been proven beyond any doubt, we at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses felt that a special issue on Air Power would be an apt and timely contribution to the discourse on the many facets of emerging air power in the 21st century. [...] In the second article titled “Air Superiority: Myth, Magic or Panacea— Air Power’s Quest for Control of the Air”, Gp Capt Ajay Ahlawat evaluates the crucial contribution of ‘control of the air’ in war and analyses whether it should be considered the primary air power role. [...] The article attempts to establish and foster a rational Editorial 3 perspective of ‘Territory’ within the rubric of military instrument of power through the prism of political object (not the objective), strategy, and the character of modern battlefield. [...] The sixth article “UAVs and Air Power: Role of UAVs in Future Warfare” is by Air Commodore Ashminder Singh Bahal, in which he covers the evolution of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), their role in peacetime and during conflicts, their strengths and limitations, their relationship with air power including the envisioned role of fighter aircraft in future and the emerging concepts of employing U. [...] The thirteenth article “Air Power and HADR: Defining the Role of the Indian Air Force in Disaster Management in India”, by Mr Pintu Kumar Mahla, provides an in- depth exploration of the intricate dynamics between air power and HADR, offering valuable insights into the evolving and indispensable role of the Indian Air Force in disaster management in the Indian context.