R.D. Hooker, Jr. challenges David Deptula's assertion that air superiority is more essential to victory today, arguing that overwhelming American airpower dominance in conflicts like Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan consistently failed to deliver strategic success despite being purchased at extraordinary cost. Hooker contends that even the 1991 Gulf War, often cited as airpower's triumph, required powerful ground forces exceeding half a million troops to eject Iraqi forces from Kuwait, making claims of an air-won war highly questionable.
He further disputes Kosovo as an airpower-only victory, noting that NATO commanders believed Russian diplomatic pressure and the imminent threat of ground invasion were decisive in forcing Milosevic to capitulate. Hooker advocates for a more balanced dialogue, acknowledging that maritime power dominates at sea and landpower on land, while aerospace power remains indispensable in virtually all cases. The critical task is to merge and meld diverse military capabilities to maximize effect in achieving national political ends.
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