THE COLD WAR
1946 Mar: Strategic Air Command created for nuclear-ready global strike.
1947 Sep: United States Air Force established as an independent service.
1948 Jun: Berlin Airlift proves strategic leverage of air logistics.
1950-53 Jul: Korean War tests jets, CAS, and rugged-terrain limits.
1954 Feb: B-52 enters service as nuclear-deterrent backbone.
1957 Oct: Sputnik links space reconnaissance to air-power strategy.
1960 May: U-2 incident exposes risks to high-altitude surveillance.
1962 Oct: Cuban Missile Crisis aerial reconnaissance drives decisions.
1965-73: Rolling Thunder and Vietnam expose limits of coercive bombing.
1967-73: Arab air-force shortcomings highlight training and C2 weaknesses.
1968 Mar: Precision-guided munitions begin the accuracy revolution.
1970s: Fourth-generation fighters boost agility, sensors, and weapons versatility.
1977 Mar: E-3 AWACS enters service, transforming air-battle management.
1979–89: Soviet-Afghan War limits of air power in countering an insurgency.
1980 Apr: Iran Rescue USA Failure to rescue embassy hostages.
1982 Jun: Falklands air war shows reach of limited but decisive carrier operations.
1980s: Stealth aircraft (e.g., F-117) reshape thinking on surprise and survivability.
1989–94: Soviet Collapse, US Defence Buildup, and the Strategic Defense Initiative