is air superiority an absolute nescessity for an amphibious assault?

Answer 1

Not always...see Guadlcanal and a few others. Many factors play into it. How well enforced the enemies positions are, the size of the opposing forces, the terrain. Because of being at a disadvantage when charging ashore against fortified positions some sort of "softening" is practically a requirement. In WWII in the pacific heavy air support wasn't always available. In fact there were a few landings by marine raiders where neither air support nor naval gunfire was used.

P.S. To clarify...having an enemy who had air superiority could make an amphibious assault difficult for sure, but having and using overwhelming air superiority is NOT necessarily a requirement for a executing a successful amphibious assault.

Answer 2

I would say yes.

But I would rephrase it to say control of the air.

Today's amphibious assaults involve air cushion vehicles, helicopters, plus various types of landing ships.

You can't use them without some control over the airspace. World War II landings were almost all accomplished with the Allies in full control of the air.

In the last major invasion of World War II the Japanese challenged the invaders of Okinawa by Kamikaze suicide attacks. This was a rare situation in which we did not have absolute control of the airspace in which an amphibious assault took place.

Answer 3

Air supremacy undoubtedly is an absolute necessity for an amphibious assault, if you can control the air, you will undoubtedly control the land and the sea. While controlling the land and sea is no guarantee that you can also control the air. These has been proven in many battles, many are won by having air supremacy, although battles in the land and sea are also important, much of the success can be attributed into having air supremacy.

Answer 4

An amphibious assault will almost certainly fail without air superiority. A large example, Normandy in WWII, would have been a disaster had the Allies not controlled the air.

Answer 5

No

The British amphibious assault to liberate the Falkland islands in 1982 had 12 British Sea Harrier multi role aircraft operating form carriers to protect the fleet from the entire Argentine airforce which was operating from fully equipped and resourced land bases.

The assault was succesful.

Answer 6

No. In fact, sometimes there is no air assistance at all. It can be lunched from a sub, a ship or from land and be supported by those throughout the mission.

Answer 7

Yes, I see a frog surrounded by a bunch of mosquito's.

Answer 8

absolutly,Air superiority helps prevent enemy attack planes from reaching your beachhead, while giving your attack planes easier access to enemy positions.

Answer 9

its a necessity to win in war

Answer 10

first, you must control the water.