Four.

This is coolbert:

As enunciated by an acknowledged aviation authority and for your edification some air power terms and definitions.

 "There are sometimes other terms used, but they all come down to . . . four"

1.  "Air supremacy:  in effect, total control of the air, such that enemy air and counter-air forces cannot affect operations for the side with AS.  An example would be the NATO air ops over Bosnia in the 1990s and the Coalition Forces' dominance in both the Gulf War and in Operation Iraqi Freedom."

2. "Air superiority.  One side dominant, but subject to sudden surges or unexpected massing of enemy forces to oppose it.  More often associated with battlefield superiority, wherein one side or the other focuses its air forces over a particular region in order to attain dominance for a battle or campaign.  Examples would be the Air superiority of Allied air forces over the Normandy region during the D-Day invasion.  German forces still had thousands of fighters and bombers available and could have massed them in the area to fight that campaign, if it dared to give up tenuous parity over various Russian fronts or open all of Germany to unfettered bomber offensives in the absence of fighter opposition.  Air superiority examples could also include much of the Pacific Theater in WWII, where Allied or US air forces had local superiority whenever carriers were in the area, but which advantage was lost when the carriers left."

3.  "Air parity.  Neither side has a definitive advantage.  Each side's ground forces are subject to aerial strikes against them, making maneuvers and supply difficult.  Examples would be Germany vs Russia in the late 1943 to mid 1944 period, US versus Japanese forces during the Guadalcanal campaign (at times, the Japanese were dominant in that conflict).  Perhaps even the line up of opposing forces in the Korean War could be considered 'parity'"

4.  "Less than parity.  Self explanatory.  The period when your ground forces ask angrily where their cowardly Air Force might be hiding"

With regard to # 4 the French during the Battle of France [1940]!!.

Thank you aviation authority!!

coolbert.