By Franz-Stefan Gady
However, even more alarming are Moscow’s growing anti-access/area denial capabilities, according to a U.S. general.
NATO’s air superiority vis-à-vis Russia is waning, Air Force (USAF) General Frank Gorenc, the commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa told an audience at this year’s Air and Space Conference held near Washington DC, according to military.com.
“The advantage that we had from the air, I can honestly say, is shrinking not only with respect to the aircraft that they’re producing, but the more alarming thing is their ability to create anti-access/area-denial [A2/AD] that are very well defended,” Gorenc said.
With his remarks, the general has joined a chorus of defense analysts and policy makers dispensing Cassandra-like warnings about the slipping technological edge of the United States military and the growing danger posed by effective countermeasures to American power primarily based on precision-strike regimes (See: “No More Easy Victories for the US Military?”).
According to the general, Russia accelerated the development of A2/AD capabilities during the 2008 war with Georgia and has heavily invested in fielding modern long-range surface-to-air missile systems (.e.g., the S-400) and other land-based A2/AD weapon systems based on their experience during the war. “They learned a lot along the way, and they made moves to close the asymmetric advantage posed by the quality of our air force; they’ve done it,” he emphasized.
Read the full story at The Diplomat