NATO air forces need to focus on air superiority and ‘realistic’ training
European air forces ‘should not pretend to need to put money’ into all different types of air operations and capabilities. (Photo: UK MoD/Crown Copyright)
At the RUSI Combat Air Conference 2023, experts and senior air force personnel openly talked about the lessons air forces learned from the Russian invasion of Ukraine. NATO air arms must focus on SEAD/DEAD missions, stockpiling ammunition and air superiority.
Ukraine cannot be given Western fighter jets to use them as NATO forces do, Russia will not stop mobilisation, NATO air forces need to focus on suppression and destruction of enemy air defences (SEAD/DEAD) missions if they want to prevail in future conflicts, and the RAF will reach its ultimate size for the next decade by 2025.
These are just some of the main comments researchers, experts and senior air force leaders made at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Combat Air Conference 2023 at the end of March.
The war in Ukraine has provided air forces with a vast
Our news & analysis is now part of Defence Insight®
A Basic-level or higher Defence Insight subscription is now required to view this content.
More from Air Warfare
-
![BAE Systems' UK Combat Air Demonstrator closes in on final assembly]()
BAE Systems' UK Combat Air Demonstrator closes in on final assembly
The first render for the demonstrator was unveiled in July 2025, with BAE Systems now aiming for the start of final assembly by the end of 2026 to prepare the aircraft for first flight by 2027.
-
![Rapid APKWS integration sparks “strong” demand from Typhoon customers]()
Rapid APKWS integration sparks “strong” demand from Typhoon customers
The recent operational use and success of the APKWS laser-guidance kit on the UK RAF's Typhoons has driven demand from other Eurofighter customers for integration of the system on their own combat aircraft fleet, according to BAE Systems.
-
![Eurosatory 2026: Wartime iteration gives Ukraine an edge as future UAV exporter]()
Eurosatory 2026: Wartime iteration gives Ukraine an edge as future UAV exporter
As industrial-scale drone production proves its battlefield worth in Ukraine, what happens to that production capacity and knowhow once the guns fall silent – and is Ukraine about to become one of the world’s most credible UAV export partners?
-
![Callen-Lenz pushes ahead with Nyan OWE as it hails operational success]()
Callen-Lenz pushes ahead with Nyan OWE as it hails operational success
The one-way-effector uncrewed aerial vehicle has also been tested by the British Army, following on from its contract award notice in February 2026.
