Ukraine war: Air superiority is critical - that is why Zelensky has asked NATO for a no fly zone

Whoever rules the skies in any military conflict has the greater advantage.
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It is one of the major lessons that has been learned over the years and is why President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has urgently requested NATO to introduce a no fly zone over his country.

He knows that the Russians will lose a great advantage, if they are barred from Ukraine airspace.

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But sending in NATO aircraft to achieve this would bring us as a member of NATO in direct conflict with Putin’s Russia’s even if it’s under the banner of NATO.

MoD handout photo of Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft being prepared at Gioia Dell Colle, Italy, as part of Operation Ellamy, the UK contribution to help enforce the No Fly Zone over Libya in support of UN mandate. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday March 21, 2011. All military attacks on Libya will be "fully consistent" with the United Nations mandate, David Cameron said today as he faced pressure to clarify whether Muammar Gaddafi could be a target. See PA story POLITICS Libya. Photo credit should read: SAC Neil Chapman/MoD Crown Copyright/PA Wire 
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. MoD handout photo of Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft being prepared at Gioia Dell Colle, Italy, as part of Operation Ellamy, the UK contribution to help enforce the No Fly Zone over Libya in support of UN mandate. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday March 21, 2011. All military attacks on Libya will be "fully consistent" with the United Nations mandate, David Cameron said today as he faced pressure to clarify whether Muammar Gaddafi could be a target. See PA story POLITICS Libya. Photo credit should read: SAC Neil Chapman/MoD Crown Copyright/PA Wire 
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
MoD handout photo of Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft being prepared at Gioia Dell Colle, Italy, as part of Operation Ellamy, the UK contribution to help enforce the No Fly Zone over Libya in support of UN mandate. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday March 21, 2011. All military attacks on Libya will be "fully consistent" with the United Nations mandate, David Cameron said today as he faced pressure to clarify whether Muammar Gaddafi could be a target. See PA story POLITICS Libya. Photo credit should read: SAC Neil Chapman/MoD Crown Copyright/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

He – Putin – has inferred, he would see no difference between a member of NATO or an individual country partaking in a no fly zone. He would see both as a declaration of war from that country, and or NATO. Clearly this is why NATO and its members, including the UK, are reluctant to take part in any airspace policing.

From the First World War we have learned that great military advantages are gained from air superiority.

Even the early use of homing pigeons to relay messages in the 1914-18 conflict became critical.

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Reconnaissance flights and aerial photos give critical information to planners and decision makers.

MoD handout photo of Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft being prepared at Gioia Dell Colle, Italy, as part of Operation Ellamy, the UK contribution to help enforce the No Fly Zone over Libya in support of UN mandate. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday March 21, 2011. All military attacks on Libya will be "fully consistent" with the United Nations mandate, David Cameron said today as he faced pressure to clarify whether Muammar Gaddafi could be a target. See PA story POLITICS Libya. Photo credit should read: SAC Neil Chapman/MoD Crown Copyright/PA Wire 
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder. MoD handout photo of Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft being prepared at Gioia Dell Colle, Italy, as part of Operation Ellamy, the UK contribution to help enforce the No Fly Zone over Libya in support of UN mandate. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday March 21, 2011. All military attacks on Libya will be "fully consistent" with the United Nations mandate, David Cameron said today as he faced pressure to clarify whether Muammar Gaddafi could be a target. See PA story POLITICS Libya. Photo credit should read: SAC Neil Chapman/MoD Crown Copyright/PA Wire 
NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
MoD handout photo of Royal Air Force Typhoon aircraft being prepared at Gioia Dell Colle, Italy, as part of Operation Ellamy, the UK contribution to help enforce the No Fly Zone over Libya in support of UN mandate. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday March 21, 2011. All military attacks on Libya will be "fully consistent" with the United Nations mandate, David Cameron said today as he faced pressure to clarify whether Muammar Gaddafi could be a target. See PA story POLITICS Libya. Photo credit should read: SAC Neil Chapman/MoD Crown Copyright/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.

Aircraft enables speedy transfer of troops and equipment to and from the front line.

And planes, directly or indirectly, have been responsible for saving the lives of thousands of our troops and civilians over the decades, in numerous wars.

Air superiority is crucial in halting Putin and saving lives in this war.

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Most have some memory or knowledge of the Battle of Britain and the Dambusters raids over Germany during the Second World War.

File photo dated 20/06/1982 of the wreckage of an Argentine Pucara Aircraft on the airfield at Goose Green. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Sunday March 18, 2012. Thirty years ago the Falkland Islands suddenly went from being a forgotten corner of what remained of the British Empire to a dramatic test of the UK's global power status.  The remote group of boggy, windswept islands in the South Atlantic, whose 1,800 human inhabitants were vastly outnumbered by sheep, became a battleground between the ambitions of Argentina's military junta and the steely determination of Margaret Thatcher. Simmering diplomatic tensions over the ownership of the Falklands boiled over in the spring of 1982 and Argentine forces invaded the islands they call the Malvinas.  In response, Britain launched its biggest naval operation since the Second World War, sending a task force of 27,000 personnel and more than 100 ships to retake the territory. Lasting just 74 days, the Falklands War claimed the lives of more than 900 people. See PA story HISTORY Falklands. Photo credit should read: Martin Cleaver/PA WireFile photo dated 20/06/1982 of the wreckage of an Argentine Pucara Aircraft on the airfield at Goose Green. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Sunday March 18, 2012. Thirty years ago the Falkland Islands suddenly went from being a forgotten corner of what remained of the British Empire to a dramatic test of the UK's global power status.  The remote group of boggy, windswept islands in the South Atlantic, whose 1,800 human inhabitants were vastly outnumbered by sheep, became a battleground between the ambitions of Argentina's military junta and the steely determination of Margaret Thatcher. Simmering diplomatic tensions over the ownership of the Falklands boiled over in the spring of 1982 and Argentine forces invaded the islands they call the Malvinas.  In response, Britain launched its biggest naval operation since the Second World War, sending a task force of 27,000 personnel and more than 100 ships to retake the territory. Lasting just 74 days, the Falklands War claimed the lives of more than 900 people. See PA story HISTORY Falklands. Photo credit should read: Martin Cleaver/PA Wire
File photo dated 20/06/1982 of the wreckage of an Argentine Pucara Aircraft on the airfield at Goose Green. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Sunday March 18, 2012. Thirty years ago the Falkland Islands suddenly went from being a forgotten corner of what remained of the British Empire to a dramatic test of the UK's global power status. The remote group of boggy, windswept islands in the South Atlantic, whose 1,800 human inhabitants were vastly outnumbered by sheep, became a battleground between the ambitions of Argentina's military junta and the steely determination of Margaret Thatcher. Simmering diplomatic tensions over the ownership of the Falklands boiled over in the spring of 1982 and Argentine forces invaded the islands they call the Malvinas. In response, Britain launched its biggest naval operation since the Second World War, sending a task force of 27,000 personnel and more than 100 ships to retake the territory. Lasting just 74 days, the Falklands War claimed the lives of more than 900 people. See PA story HISTORY Falklands. Photo credit should read: Martin Cleaver/PA Wire

The use of air power was also crucial in the The Falklands conflict. A critical moment came when the SAS destroyed 11 Argentine aircraft including the six deadly ground assault Pucaras on Pebble Island in the Falklands.

Without the destruction of these our armed forces could have suffered larger casualties and deaths, which may have led to a different outcome to the war in 1982.

Air superiority has for decades been proven one of the most important facets of a war campaign, and this conflict is no different.