6 The Air Campaigns THE COUNTER AIR CAMPAIGN THE COUNTER SURFACE FORCE CAMPAIGN THE STRATEGIC AIR CAMPAIGN SECTION I THE COUNTER AIR CAMPAIGN Any one who has to fight, even with the most modern weapons against an enemy who has complete control of air, fights like a savage, under the same handicaps and with the same chances of success. — Field Marshal Rommel INTRODUCTION With the increase in the effectiveness of air power, the need to contain the enemy’s air power also increased significantly. As early as in World War I, air power was used in airfield attacks, air to air combat and offensive sweeps to seek and destroy enemy aircraft in the air as well as on the ground, so as to achieve control of air. During World War II, the need for a dedicated counter air campaign was realised not only for the success of air operations, but virtually for all types of surface and sub-surface operations. Various campaigns e.g. the Arab-Israeli war in 39