Mobility and War: The Cosmic View of US ‘Air Power’

Air power was a contested military strategy during the first half of the 20th century. During World War 2, the doctrine of air power became a dominant part of US national defence contributing to the nationalisation of air space. In this paper I raise parallels between the rise of the doctrine of air power in the US during World War 2 and the concerns about national security following the attacks on September 11, 2001. The visual and spatial logics of air power generate a ‘cosmic view’ that unifies and fixes targets from the air. Yet, this articulation of nationalism is challenged by the current practices and conditions of warfare.