We do not believe in single-dimension strategies, and we do not claim that aerospace power will be decisive in every instance. However, US military superiority today is attributable primarily to capabilities in air and space. Aerospace power has become the dominant element in armed conflict. We have not said that airpower can do it all, nor have we demeaned the contribution of any combat or support arm of the joint force. We have not violated the norms of interservice collegiality, which are rarely invoked anyway except in objection to the advocacy of airpower.
Tradition is a powerful force.
Defense policy would never change if old ideas were not challenged. It is important to the nation that the capabilities of aerospace power be understood and recognized. This is not just an intramural service debate. It spills over to Congress and into the popular news media. If airmen do not state their case, it will not be heard, and the defense program will reflect that.