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Belkan Air Power

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Second Edition
​July 18, 2005


The Background of Belkan Air Power

Called the “Air Force of Tradition” and producing a great number of aces throughout its history of warfare, this unique organization is difficult to summarize in one word. However, the Principality of Belka, a country that could hardly be called a great power, was always the frontrunner among air forces worldwide until the end of the 20th century. Stating that it has provided the foundation for other air forces around the world as well as the basis for various aviation technologies would not be an overstatement, as evidenced by many military researchers’ interest in this subject.
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The establishment of the Belkan Air Force took place at the height of the Osean War (1905–1910), the first instance in human history where the combat capabilities of aircraft were realized. It is impossible to discuss the context of the Belkan Air Force's creation without mentioning Air Force Minister of Special Tasks [1] Franklin Göllnitz, whose efforts laid the military branch’s foundations. Göllnitz is said to be the man who discovered the possibility of repurposing airplanes, which were primarily used for reconnaissance at the beginning of the Osean War, for bombing operations. This concept bore fruit and brought about great results for the Belkan military in the Osean war, and in no time at all the concept spread to other militaries around the world. At the time, aerial units were called "Cavalry of the Skies,” and a Göllnitz quotation stating that "Those who command the skies also command the ground" became a slogan while countries around the world were assembling their own aviation units, although there is room for doubt regarding whether they fully understood its true meaning.

Like so, Belka was the first to organize – and achieve battlefield operability with – an aerial unit  with a focus solely on bombing operations. The Belkan Air Force's true worth, however, only became apparent after quickly shifting attention away from bombing operations and towards anti-aircraft combat operations. The Belkan Air Force, having recognized the predominance of anti aircraft combat in controlling the skies, began focusing attention on developing aircraft that pushed the very limits of aerial maneuverability. In this regard, it is safe to say that Belka was very fortunate. In the early 20th century, Belka was already heading down the path to becoming an advanced industrial nation. As such, many famous aircraft boasting excellent maneuverability and acceleration were born from Belka's industrial technology. While these aircraft were not able to be fielded in time for combat applications in the war against Osea, when it is considered that the air force had not even been in existence for 10 years, the extraordinary speed of its development becomes apparent. In any case, placing emphasis on air to air combat operations rather than bombing missions molded the air force. This focus, along with Belka's particular need to defeat a numerically superior of enemies with a smaller force, became the main factor that produced the “light and shadow” of the future Belkan Air Force. Knowing this, one cannot help but to feel a peculiar sense of fate at work. 

It can be said that the Belkan Air Force was comprised of "two wheels". One was its educational institution, and the other being its military industrial power. As mentioned earlier, industrial strength was the precondition of the establishment of the Belkan Air Force. However, special attention should be paid towards the other wheel, the educational institution. The Belkan Air Force recognized very early on that pilots’ lives were irreplaceable assets. To an industrial nation like Belka, replacing any lost aircraft or modifications to existing aircraft inventories was a simple matter. On the other hand, it was a keenly recognized issue that pilots of high caliber could not be easily replaced. While many may consider the Belkan Air Force's traditional elitism as stemming from influence of the old ways of Belkan chivalry, it may be more appropriate to perceive it as stemming from placing a great importance on the scarcity of superior pilots. In addition to an education curriculum that was split into fine parts, cadets of the Air Force Academy were provided with opportunities to fly in the battlefields of various locations across the world, utilizing the connections made with air forces worldwide since the old days. With a with spectrum of profound skills and with practical techniques required to survive on the battlefield driven into them, the cadets were brought up to become seasoned pilots. There is no doubt that emphasizing the importance of ideals such as "how to survive and return alive" in the training of Belkan airmen would become the basis of producing top ace pilots of the Belkan Air Force in the many wars thereafter.

However, the outbreak of the Belkan War in 1995 finally exposed the limits of the Belkan Air Force. The doctrine of crushing a large number of adversaries with a small force certainly produced excellent ace pilots. But while the militaries of other developed countries realized the importance of moving ahead with the integration of their air forces, armies, and navies for improved efficiency, Belkan military circles stubbornly remained set in their ways, casting a shadow on the military’s dominance. Ultimately, despite having evolved into a remarkable tactical air force, this state of affairs led to other advanced nations’ air forces taking its place as a strategic air force. From the end of the 20th Century until today – the beginning of the 21st Century – the Belkan military was dismantled through its defeat in the Belkan War; furthermore, it is common knowledge that the great industrial technology they once boasted has been lost.
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Although not necessarily a well-integrated force, the Belkan Air Force has attracted the hearts and minds of countless people with its ace pilots who lived only to make a name for themselves in the sky, and furthermore how an ideology deeply rooted in Belkan chivalry made their existence possible. Regardless of whether it is now a bygone spectacle, upon hearing about a small unit facing down a tremendous rival army, eventually emerging victorious, who would not commit to memory that exciting dance of flesh and boiling blood? 

Translator Notes

[1] 特務大臣 is a minister appointed without an actual ministry. Its literal translation, "Minister of Special Tasks," is used for the same title in English.

Original Text

ベルカ空軍力の背景

「伝統のベルカ空軍」と呼ばれ、戦乱の歴史と共に数々のエースパイロットを輩出してきたこの類まれなる組織を一言で語ることは難しい。しかし、決して大国とは呼べぬこの国家-ベルカ公国-が20世紀末まで常に世界の空軍組織の先端を走り、世界各国の空軍組織及び航空技術の基礎としての役目を果たしたといっても過言ではないその歴史が、幾多の軍事研究者の研究対象となっている事実を証明している。

ベルカ空軍の創設は、戦力としての航空機が人類史上初めて認識されたといわれるオーシア戦争(1905年~1910年)の最中であった。ベルカ空軍誕生の背景は、後に空軍組織の基礎を築いた空軍特務大臣フランクリン・ゲルニッツの尽力無しには語ることができない。ゲルニッツはオーシア戦争初期においては主に偵察任務に投入されていた航空機に、爆撃作戦への可能性を見出した人物であるとされている。この発想がオーシア戦争におけるベルカ軍の著しい戦果という形で結実すると、またたく間に世界中の軍隊に広まった。当時航空機部隊は「空の騎兵」とも呼ばれ、ゲルニッツの「空を制するものが地上を制す」との言葉は(その言葉の真意が正しく理解されていたかには疑問の余地があるが)、航空機部隊が各国の軍隊に創設される際のスローガンとなっていた。

このように、いち早く空軍を組織化し戦場での運用レベルにまで実現したベルカであったが、その運用用途は爆撃作戦のみに重点がおかれていた。そして、ベルカ空軍がその真価を発揮するのは、この後に爆撃作戦ではなく対航空機の戦闘任務にいち早く着目した瞬間からであった。空を制する為には対航空機の戦闘における優位性が重要であると認識を改めたベルカ空軍は、空中での機動性を極限まで引き出す航空機の実現への注力を開始する。この点においてベルカは幸運であったと言わざるを得ない。20世紀初頭において既にベルカは優れた工業国家としての道を歩み出していたのである。そして、ベルカの工業技術は機動性と加速性に優れた数々の名機を生み出すことになる。オーシア戦争においては実戦投入されるには間に合わなかったが、空軍の創設から10年と経っていない状況を考慮すると、その開発速度の凄まじさが明らかとなるであろう。いずれにしても、爆撃任務ではなく空対空戦闘任務へと力点を置いた空軍として形成されたこと、さらには少数の戦力で多数の敵に勝つというベルカ独特の姿勢が、その後のベルカ空軍の光と影を生み出す要因となったことには奇妙な因縁を感じざるを得ない。

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ベルカ空軍は「二輪」によって構成されていると言われる。一つが教育制度であり、もう一つが軍需工業力である。工業力については先に述べたとおりベルカ空軍の創設における背景となっているが、特筆すべきはもう一方の車輪であるところの教育制度である。ベルカ空軍は、航空士の生命を貴重な財産として早くから認識していた。工業国ベルカにとって、損耗した航空機を補充・改良することは実際のところ容易い問題であった。その一方で、一定水準の技量を持つパイロットについては簡単に補充できないことを痛切な課題として認識するに至っていた。ベルカ空軍伝統の少数精鋭主義については、古きベルカ騎士道の影響によるものと考えも多いが、優れたパイロットの希少性を重視する思想故のものであったと捉えるのが妥当であろう。細かな段階に分かれた教育カリキュラムに加え、古くから有していた世界各国の空軍とのパイプを利用して、空軍アカデミーの生徒は世界各地の戦場の空で飛ぶ機会を与えられたとされている。広く深い知識と戦場で生き残る為の実践的技術を叩き込まれることで、生徒達は力強いパイロットへと育っていったのである。このような、いかに死なずに生きて帰還するかを重要視したベルカの航空士養成思想が、後の数々の戦争におけるベルカ空軍屈指のエースパイロットを輩出する基礎となっていることは疑う余地もなく明らかであろう。

しかし、このようなベルカ空軍の限界がついに露呈したのが1995年からのベルカ戦争であった。少数の戦力で多数の敵を撃破するという思想は、確かに優秀なエースパイロット達を生み出すこととなった。しかし、先進国の軍組織が陸軍・海軍・空軍の統合運用化を進め、軍組織内の連携による効率化を推し進めることの重要性に気づき始めた頃、一方でベルカ軍部は古き思考に固執したままであり、軍隊としての優位性に翳りが見え始めたのであった。これは、ベルカ空軍が結局の所、戦術空軍としては著しい進化を遂げたものの、戦略空軍としては、他の先進諸国の空軍に座を譲る状況であったことを物語っている。20世紀末から今日の21世紀初頭においては、ベルカ軍はベルカ戦争での敗戦を通して解体され、さらには誇りとしていた高い工業技術も失われることとなったことは周知の通りである。

必ずしも統合力においては優れていなかったベルカ空軍であるが、多くの人々の心を惹き付けるその背後には、空で名をあげることのみに生きる数々のエースパイロット達と、さらには、彼らの誕生を可能とした、ベルカ騎士道の影響を色濃く受けた思想が存在していることは間違いない。少数の部隊が敵の大軍に真っ向から立ち向かい、やがて勝利を手にする様を聞いた者ならば、血沸き肉踊る興奮を覚えないものが果たしているだろうか。例えそれが今や時代遅れの光景だとしてもである。
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      • Untitled Photographs (Claus Bauer)
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