The Quest for Relevant Air Power

Acknowledgments
The completion of this book, based on the doctoral thesis “Continental
European Responses to the Air Power Challenges of the
Post-Cold War Era” submitted at King’s College London (KCL),
would not have been possible without the support of many people
and institutions. This PhD research project represents a successful
joint effort between the Department of War Studies, KCL, University
of London, and the Center for Security Studies, ETH Zurich
(or Swiss Federal Institute of Technology).
I am greatly beholden to my supervisors and mentors, Prof.
Philip Sabin (KCL) and Prof. Andreas Wenger (ETH). Prof. Philip
Sabin encouraged me to ask important questions and to produce
the best answers I could both by the example he set and the counsel
he gave at every stage. He was endlessly generous in helping my
thesis approach rigorous standards. Professor Wenger proved relentless
in his demand for analytical clarity and was supremely
supportive. My appreciation also extends to my external examiners,
Air Vice-Marshal Prof. R. A. Mason, University of Birmingham,
and Prof. Ron Smith, Birkbeck College, University of London,
who helped to fine-tune the thesis in its final stages.
The thesis focused on four major Continental European air forces
in the post–Cold War era—those of France, Germany, the Netherlands,
and Sweden. Given its contemporary focus, the project would
not have been possible without the dedicated help of some outstanding
individuals. The main contributors are listed below in a
primarily alphabetical order. Since my interviews, many of those
may have risen in rank or moved on to other positions.
For my research on the French Air Force, I am especially grateful
to Capt Stéphane Bréart, Sirpa Air (Service d’information et de relations
publiques de l’Armée de l’Air); Col Régis Chamagne, retired;
Prof. Patrick Facon, director of the Air Historical Branch, Château
de Vincennes, who proved invaluable in providing a historical outlook
on French air power thought; Lt Col Jean-Luc Fourdrinier, Air
Staff, Armée de l’Air; Col Denis Gayno, deputy director, Centre
d’enseignement supérieur aérien (CESA [Centre of Strategic Aerospace
Studies]); Bastien Irondelle, senior researcher, Centre d’études
et de recherches internationales (CERI [Centre for International Studies
and Research]), for his view on the latest air power doctrine devel-
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