principles of war and the nature of air power    In many circumstances aircraft will be the only means of reacting in the time available. Responsiveness. Associated with flexibility and mobility is the characteristic of responsiveness. In a crisis, the use of air power will normally be the option most readily available and usable by the government. Air power can be used to demonstrate national resolve quickly by deployment, or heightened states of readiness, and it is the most readily available means for demonstrating combat power. Air forces can also be used to establish and maintain a military presence as an extension of diplomacy. Shock Effect. It is an effect that goes beyond mere surprise; it is an effect which can induce confusion and psychological disorientation. It is created by the aircraft’s ability to concentrate fire power and deliver it with little or no warning. The shock effect of air power has been enhanced greatly with the development of air launched Precision Guided Munitions (PGMs) and other specialist weapons. Concentration. The flexibility and responsiveness of air power allows a commander to concentrate force. This is of vital importance especially in a fluid tactical situation. The shock effect inherent in air power is the product of its capacity to be concentrated in time and space. However, the capacity to concentrate force can be dissipated by inefficient command and control arrangements, inappropriate division of responsibilities or dilution of core competencies. It takes intelligence and sound judgment to determine where to strike and the quantum of force to be used. If leveraged properly, air power offers national leaders and military commanders the capability to concentrate power in very effective ways. Historically, concentration refers most obviously to offensive power, but it is not limited to that. Apart from concentrating the offensive power of strike aircraft, air power can be used, for example, to deliver land forces in a concentrated form to the point on the battlefield where they can have the maximum effect. The ability to move swiftly, to concentrate and to descend from out of the blue gives the advantage 19