Editorial
The quest for peace in Eastern Europe is still in progress. Through resourcefulness and grit, the Ukraine Armed Forces have fought Russia to a standstill and earned the admiration and support of the Western world. Meanwhile, Russia’s brazen attempt to assert its influence and reshape the world has become the object of worldwide opprobrium. In combination, they are a validation of our resilient Alliance based on defensive strength.
We, the JAPCC, continue to aspire to translate the most current challenges into workable solutions and inspire ideas to further transform Air and Space Power. Thus, to make our community of Air and Space Power enthusiasts significantly more knowledgeable, versed, and informed we bring to you the 35th edition of the JAPCC Journal. Once again, the offered compendium of select articles aims to pique your interest and increase awareness of some of the latest developments and topics within the Air and Space domains.
This edition opens with Major General Dupont, Commander of the Belgian Air Force, who outlines the current state, challenges, and future projects enabling the necessary giant leap for a next-generation Air Force, while celebrating its 75th anniversary.
Directly from the battlefield, at a time of such great struggle, the leadership of the Ukrainian Air Force judiciously debunks a series of myths related to the ongoing conflict, while adroitly indicating the way to success.
The next series of topics introduces one of the success stories of multinational cooperation within NATO, provides insights into the challenges and available tools to prepare our air and missile defence specialists and forces to NATO standards, and advances quantum technology awareness with its potential applications in the Air and Space domains.
The next three articles examine different aspects of the war in Ukraine, including well-argued insights on the perceived underperformance of the Russian Air Force, how commercial space providers can be a game changer in modern conflict, and finally observations and lessons learned from the Ukrainian cyber battlefield. Next, we take a look at the somewhat arcane field of cultural property protection, which considers the negative strategic effects of ill-advised tactical action and the strategic advantage of protecting cultural property whenever possible. The journal concludes with a summary of the robust discussions and salient points exchanged and debated during the 2022 JAPCC Air and Space Power Conference, themed ‘Enhancing NATO Air and Space Power in an Age of Global Competition’.
Thank you for taking the time to read this edition of our Journal. I am confident that many of the articles will pique your interest. I am particularly appreciative of, and would like to express my sincere gratitude to, all our contributing authors. I hope you will find it informative and stimulating, and we greatly appreciate any feedback you may have. Reach out and visit our website at www.japcc.org, like us on LinkedIn or Twitter, or email us at .
Paul Herber
Air Commodore, NE AF
Assistant Director, JAPCC
