The return of expendable mass to air warfare: attrition versus manoeuvre in air operations

This article adapts and applies the standard cost ratio model of the offense-defence balance to understand the extent with which the cost ratio of military technology is causing states to readopt expendable mass and move away from a manoeuvre-centric approach in air warfare. This research shows that due to the evolution of enemy integrated air defences and the elevated price per unit and quantitative insufficiency of crewed platforms, states are increasingly incorporating affordable, precise- firepower in the form of surface-to-surface missiles, and one-way attack drones into their arsenal to lower the cost of the offense versus the defence. This, however, has not shifted the offense-defence balance toward the offense in two of the three cases analysed, which suggests the persisting, vital role of traditional, heavier, crewed platforms such as fighter jets and bombers.