Can NATO rely on precision weapons and air power instead of area fire when the airspace is contested?
Short answerNATO doctrine assumes it will establish air superiority, but that outcome is not guaranteed, and similar friendly and hostile equipment can further constrain strikes.
NotesNATO expects to obtain air superiority and use that freedom to deliver precision effects, although the outcome is not guaranteed in every theater. Target clearance creates another problem. Chinese and Japanese ships bought from similar British designs were difficult to distinguish during the Sino-Japanese War, while Russian and Ukrainian forces operate related Soviet equipment. Accuracy matters only after a force can reach the target and identify it confidently.