In fact, to Douhet, command of the air was essential to attaining victory in war. With command of the air, one's own air force would be free to operate whenever and wherever it desired, while the enemy's air arm was rendered permanently helpless. Surprise could be achieved easily as the enemy would have little early warning and there would be little ground resistance against the attacking force. It must be noted that during Douhet's time, the perceived enemy had no effective defence against any ensuing air attacks. Radar had yet to be invented and the air defence systems, including surface-to-air weapons and air defence fighter aircraft, were not effective in targeting air threats.
Douhet advocated that air superiority or supremacy could be achieved by the continual mass employment of an air force to destroy the enemy air force on the ground, by attacking airfields and aircraft factories. The air force must be a standing force ready to fight at the onset of hostilities. It should take the initiative and strike first. It must hit hard and often, until command of the air is achieved and continue to exert firepower even after air superiority has been achieved. Having achieved command of the air, the pilots would then use their battle plane fleet to destroy the enemy's will and capacity to resist by conducting aerial bombing on his cities, industrial centres and, primarily by targeting the civilian population. Civilians (Douhet believed) were not prepared for the effects of war and the bombing of population centres would create psychological dislocation among the people. People would then apply pressure on the government to negotiate for peace.3.
Douhet believed the destruction of enemy strategic targets in the rear could be achieved through aerial bombing. The only type of airplane to conduct such strategic aerial bombing, according to Douhet, was the battle plane. The battle plane was defined as an armed and armored bomber or strike aircraft that could fight its way to and from the target.
