Coevolution in Air Warfare

<p>In the dynamic arena of air combat attackers and defenders struggle for control of the air. As military units successfully adapt to tactical circumstances changes in air attack and air defense systems emerge. This study explores how these competing complex adaptive systems adapt and coevolve. Combining complexity theory with concepts from organizational learning and John Boyd's military theory this study first builds an analytical framework. Specifically it expands Boyd's OODA loop into a learning loop. Focusing on how military units learn how they organize and how nonlinearity affects air warfare this study then examines three historical case studies: the American bombing campaign against German defenses in early 1944; Israeli air forces against Egyptian air defenses in October 1973; and NATO's air war against Yugoslav defenses in the spring of 1999. As these cases show opponents do coevolve in the nonlinear environment of air warfare.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p>