Modern warfare's shifting dynamics: Why air superiority no longer guarantees victory

Summary

The article examines how modern warfare has evolved, challenging traditional assumptions about air superiority. Drawing on insights from military expert Franz-Stefan Gady, it argues that air superiority is harder to establish and maintain than in the past, and that it buys less tactical advantage. The battlefield below 4,000 meters is increasingly "decoupled" from air dominance above that ceiling, with mass-produced drones and other technologies reshaping conflict dynamics. The piece assesses how NATO-Russia scenarios would play out differently than conventional military doctrine predicts.