Air Power and Africa’s Asymmetrical Threats In The 21st Century

This statement provides closing remarks for a conference on air power and asymmetric threats in Africa. It argues that African militaries should lead the debate on asymmetric warfare based on their own experiences, emphasizes the need to adapt air power doctrine to a complex security environment, and asserts that security and development are interdependent prerequisites for the continent's future.

• Asymmetric threats in Africa are defined as the use of innovation against conventional power and authority. These threats include terrorism, criminality (both national and trans-national) involving military-style violence, and internal threats to legitimate authority from rebel movements and warlords.
• The document asserts that African militaries possess significant expertise in asymmetric warfare due to their own history, citing the 1994 Rwandan genocide as an event comparable in scale and callousness to the 9/11 attacks in the USA. The author argues that African militaries should be leaders in the study of asymmetric warfare rather than followers of external barometers.
• While air power is an essential military element, it faces specific vulnerabilities against asymmetric threats. These include sabotage of navigation and approach infrastructure, the use of shoulder-launch missiles against aircraft during takeoff or landing, targeting of aviation fuel delivery routes, and the presence of suicide bombers among ground and air crews.
• To address emerging security environments, the document calls for a shift in air power doctrine and personnel. It argues for the development of an 'airman-soldier' characterized by mental agility and strength to handle complexity and chaos, rather than focusing solely on technical skills. Additionally, it warns against prioritizing weapon technology over tactics, as the evolution of weapons can constrain tactical evolution.
• The document highlights a symbiotic relationship between security and development, referencing NEPAD's emphasis that security is a prerequisite for development. It concludes that both require simultaneous commitment to ensure the future of the African continent.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (n.d.). Air Power and Africa’s Asymmetrical Threats In The 21st Century. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/MANGETHE.PDF

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. Air Power and Africa’s Asymmetrical Threats In The 21st Century. n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/MANGETHE.PDF.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=Air Power and Africa’s Asymmetrical Threats In The 21st Century |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/MANGETHE.PDF |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{instituteforsecuritystudiesndair, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{Air Power and Africa’s Asymmetrical Threats In The 21st Century}}, publisher = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/MANGETHE.PDF}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }