From virtually the first appearance of aircraft in warfare, their bases have been the targets of enemy attack and the concern of defending friendly forces. Between 1914 and 1973, the concept of air base air defense grew with the technological changes of the 20th Century. In 1914, antiaircraft guns could barely contend with early warplanes. Until World War II an attacker could do little permanent damage to the grass of dirt fields that sustained the light military aircraft and service equipment of the time. These attacks involved paratroops, glider forces, air raids, and ground assaults. Since that era, faster planes, technologically improved ordnance of increased destructiveness, permanent concrete runways, and the presence of fixed, complex service and support establishments made airfields ever more vulnerable to destruction. By 1973, tactical air base defense used some of the most sophisticated weapon systems and advanced electronic command and control systems yet known. Radar-controlled guns and missiles guided toward an attacker still miles from his target gave new options to defenders. Air base air defense was continually redefined as much by doctrinal prescription as by context: time, place, the technological evolution of control mechanisms, munitions and aircraft, and the interplay of other elements of airpower all contributed to the nature of the individual cases chosen for study here. (SDW)


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