How is air superiority achieved in maritime operations?

Achieving air superiority in maritime operations primarily revolves around neutralizing enemy air threats and controlling airspace. This means effectively managing both offensive and defensive strategies to ensure that friendly aircraft can operate without significant risk from adversary air forces. It involves engaging and defeating enemy aircraft before they can pose a threat to naval assets and ensuring friendly forces have unimpeded access to crucial airspace for operations, reconnaissance, and mission execution.

Controlling the airspace also allows for the protection of valuable maritime assets, such as naval fleets and ships, while facilitating the safe engagement of ground forces or other operations that may rely on air support. Consequently, the strategy encompasses not only direct combat with enemy aircraft but can also include electronic warfare, information warfare, and other operations designed to diminish the enemy's ability to respond in the air effectively.

This multifaceted approach illustrates the importance of dominance over the air arena in maritime contexts, which cannot solely rely on expanding fleets, increasing aircraft carriers, or deploying ground-based assets, as these actions do not directly neutralize existing threats or establish air control.