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.
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.
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.
Reconnaissance flights and aerial photos give critical information to planners and decision makers.
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.
Most have some memory or knowledge of the Battle of Britain and the Dambusters raids over Germany during the Second World War.
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.