The Strategic Value of Air Defence

After decades of divesting from air defence relative to the Cold War, NATO and its members are beginning to reinvest in this critical capability in response to Russian doctrine, concepts and aggression. This article examines the implications of Russian thought on long- range precision strike as well as its practical application in the war in Ukraine to identify implications for NATO’s understanding of air defence. It concludes that current NATO and national doctrine overemphasises the tactical and operational aspects of air defence, neglecting its strategic impact as a tool of non-nuclear deterrence.