By Giulio Douhet

Giulio Douhet is an advocate of both airpower and the scientific approach to warfare. In The Command of Air he claims that "to assure an adequate national defense, it is necessary -- and sufficient -- to be in a position in case of war to conquer the command of the air."

I find this terminology interesting. Economists are well-versed in necessary and sufficient conditions in the development of theoretical mathematical models.

While I agree with Douhet that it is necessary for nations to have air superiority to provide national defense, I'm not convinced that air superiority is sufficient.

Is command of the air, or air superiority, both necessary and sufficient for national defense? If not, what is required for sufficiency?

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