The US and Chinese air forces are both thinking about how they'd try to control the air in a war. "It will be a struggle back and forth for air superiority," added Hinote, whose last position was as the Air Force's chief futurist. The most comprehensive is air supremacy, which the US Air Force defines as when "the opposing force is incapable of effective interference within the operational area using air and missile threats." The next level is air superiority, which the Air Force defines as "control of the air by one force that permits the conduct of its operations at a given time and place without prohibitive interference from air and missile threats." AdvertisementAdvertisementUS Army Air Force B-17s bomb an aircraft factory in eastern Germany during World War II.

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