The Air Forces in the international crisis response operations – 'classic' role of aviation, on the exapmle of selected armed conflicts

The main objective and the core air force tasks in the field of air state security in a peacetime and the crisis is to ensure the integrity of its air borders. Preliminary analysis of CRO operations indicates a number of significant changes of the Air Force role in achieving political and military objectives in this type of operations. In operations where the main objective was to occupy (recover or maintain) certain territory, the role of the air force was ‘classic’ – the AF was responsible for creating required conditions to perform effective land or combined (land and sea) operations to achieve war objectives by one of the conflict party. The NATO Alliance, and especially its military forces are well prepared to respond to traditional threats posed to its members territorial integrity. The rules and procedures about their use in the case of this type of risks (unlikely) can meet modern conditions and requirements.