Peacetime air-defence language often emphasises kills, while wartime defence also values disruption. Fighters and ship defences can protect the force by breaking up a formation, forcing attackers away, or making them release weapons early. Even aircraft that survive may fail to deliver a coordinated salvo on favourable terms. A disrupted attack then presents fewer or less effective threats for the rest of the force to defeat.
Notable Point · 2:09:59-2:10:20
Air defence at sea aims to disrupt an attack
Naval air defence need not destroy every attacker; forcing aircraft to break formation, release weapons early, or abandon an attack can protect the force.