抄録
In recent decades, states in the East Asia region have been sharpening their defense strategies and capabilities to effectively deal with their national and regional security uncertainties. Among the various capabilities being modernized, there has been particular emphasis on airpower as a critical means to ensure tactical superiority in the air domain, as well as to establish an anti-access and area-denial arrangement against adversaries.
Against this backdrop, airpower along with seapower will continue to further grow in their importance for the East Asian states. While force modernization efforts may achieve greater security from the state-centric viewpoint, there are numerous concerns in the regional stability context. Focusing on tactical combat aircraft, this study examines the developments in airpower in East Asia and the implications on regional security and stability by addressing the following questions: What are the key characteristics of airpower? How are the East Asian states developing their airpower capabilities, and what are the distinct characteristics of airpower in the region? What are the regional security implications of the developments in airpower? This paper will conclude that while the regional developments in airpower are still in their early stages, the future developments highlight the risks of a regional arms race and actualized conflict, requiring new measures to ensure regional stability.
