AIRPOWER FROM AN AIRMAN’S PERSPECTIVE Effective airpower application requires an Airman’s unique perspective. Airmen gained this perspective through a century of air operations experience. These distilled truths should beat the forefront of an Airman’s perspective when operating with joint partners. Control of the air is a necessary precondition for control of the surface. The first mission of an air force is to defeat or neutralize the enemy airpower so friendly operations in all domains can proceed.