MOSCOW. Jan 21 (Interfax-AVN) - Aerospace offensive will be the primary military threat for Russia in the 21st century, a high-ranking official of the Russian Air Force Staff told Interfax-Military News Agency Wednesday.
"Up to 25 percent of Russia's primary strategic sites are within the coverage of the aerospace offensive means of the potential enemy," he said.
According to the official, up to 45 percent of Russian sites can be hit by Tomahawk cruise missiles having a range of 1,250km.
Aerospace assets will play a tremendous ever-rising part in future armed conflicts. That is why no a prominent nation must be allowed to gain air offensive or defensive superiority because this would immediately challenge Russia's national security, the official said.
He emphasized that as air warfare develops the time of air missions goes down while intensity rises. In addition, aerospace offensive assets provide the aggressor with a superb tactical surprise and preemption capability.