Overview
What is counter air? An offensive counter air (OCA) mission is an offensive air activity conducted to destroy, degrade, neutralise or disrupt adversary air power, or to contain it as close to its source as possible. OCA missions can involve fighter sweep and the suppression of enemy air defences (SEAD). Destroying adversary air power and air defence threats on the ground is traditionally regarded as the most effective way to conduct OCA missions
How does it relate to control of the air - the ability to conduct operations in the air, land and maritime domains without interference from adversary air power and air defence capabilities.
Control of the air role is primarily realised by two air power missions:
a. offensive counter air, and
b. defensive counter air
Key Terms
Counter air
Control of the air (COA)
Note: The three levels of the control of the air are: air supremacy, air superiority and air parity.