The Quest for Relevant Air Power

116 │ French Air Force
Teaching of Air Power Thought
As regards higher education of FAF officers, the two major innovations
in the post–Cold War era have been an increasing thrust
towards joint and, later on, towards combined teaching. Since
1993 higher military education has been delivered at the CID. It
basically replaced single-service education, which in the case of
the FAF was provided by the École supérieure de guerre aérienne
(ESGA), or Advanced School of Air Warfare. 202 At the CID, selected
midcareer officers are educated for 10 months. 203 The syllabus
emphasises operational aspects such as campaign planning in
joint and multinational scenarios. 204
Throughout the year, French CID course participants are exposed
to an international environment, reflecting the growing importance
of combined operations. Out of 66 Air Force participants
in the 13th course, 22 were foreigners. 205 Concurrently, five to six
Air Force officers are sent each year to higher staff colleges in the
UK, Germany, the United States, or Italy. 206 This push towards
multinational education has been complemented since 2001 by
the Combined Joint European Exercise (CJEX) in which the staff
colleges of France, the UK, Germany, Italy, and Spain participate.
For one week, these colleges exchange students to conduct a multinational
joint exercise. 207
Since 2002 the CID has strived to encourage thinking on air
power theory and doctrine. The participants in the ninth course
conducted various studies on air power strategy, and the results
were assembled in a booklet. The project’s goal was to gradually
promote an intellectual debate on air power theory and strategy in
a broader circle. 208 This effort was reiterated by the following
course. Topics ranged from specific air power topics such as targeting
or reconnaissance to broader topics such as the evolution of
the employment of air power. 209 In the meantime, the recently set
up air power periodical Penser les ailes françaises has provided the
CID course participants with a new platform for disseminating
their thoughts on various aspects, such as the fundamentals of air
and space power, command in air operations, a critical view upon
the FAF’s participation in Desert Storm, or the use of cruise missiles.
210 These developments reveal a growing interest in the intellectual
aspects of the employment of air power. Yet so far, CID