ISLAMABAD
\nThe Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS), , hosted a seminar titled \u201cDominating the Skies: Strategic Use of the Air Medium in Modern Conflicts\u201d on 28 August 2025. The event was widely attended by academics, students, intellectuals, and domain experts.
\nCASS is an independent think tank that continues to arrange academic events for scholars and practitioners interested in national security in its wider context. Ms Nidaa Shahid, Associate Director, CASS Lahore, delivered the opening remarks. In his keynote address, Air Marshal Asim Suleiman (Retd), President of CASS Lahore, observed that air power is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the integration of combat aircraft, drones, and precision-guided missiles, which he termed the \u201cTriangle of Air Power\u201d.
\nMastery of this new model enabled the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) to outpace India in both tempo and precision. He credited the current Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu for orchestrating a centralised command system that forged an unprecedented multi-domain kill chain. Zarb-e-Karrar, he noted, dismantled India\u2019s myths of technological superiority, neutralised its Rafales, S-400s, and BrahMos, and exposed critical gaps in the Indian Air Force\u2019s (IAF) ability to dominate across domains.
\nIn his remarks, he stated that while India may have sought to set a \u201cnew normal\u201d, in reality, it has created a \u201cnew abnormal\u201d\u2014one devoid of substance, clarity, and the ability to deliver results. In the end, he praised Field Marshal General Asim Munir and ACM Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu for taking the wind out of India\u2019s war-mongering political elite.
\nDr Rabia Akhtar, Dean, University of Lahore, emphasised that missiles require joint training, ISR, and interoperability for effective deployment. She added that the formation of the Army Rocket Force Command (ARFC) marks a decisive step and positive move towards conventional deterrence. However, the dissemination of its doctrinal contours will offer more clarity regarding how it will supplement our conventional capabilities. She further emphasised that the ARFC must be equipped with ISR, precision, and an unbreakable kill chain.
\nAir Commodore Khalid Banuri (Retd), Senior Advisor Training, Project Phoenix, Air Headquarters, underscored that AI is transforming the character of warfare as algorithms are increasingly assisting human decision-making. Referring to Zarb-e-Karrar as Pakistan\u2019s \u201cOppenheimer moment,\u201d he stated that niche acquisitions, realistic training, and astute leadership were the key elements behind the PAF\u2019s success.
\nDescribing MDOs as \u201cthe new black,\u201d he observed that synergy between the armed forces at both the strategic and tactical levels enabled Pakistan to win the war. He concluded that, in the future, a whole-of-nation approach will be required to meet emerging challenges.
\nIn his concluding remarks, Air Marshal Asim Suleiman (Retd) stated that the wars of tomorrow will be decided by speed, precision, and cross-domain integration. He observed that Pakistan\u2019s armed forces are shaping the future of South Asia\u2019s strategic architecture through transformative capabilities.
\nThe seminar concluded with a lively interactive session, engaging participants in a forward-looking discussion on the evolving role of multi-domain air power, its doctrinal implications, and the preparedness required to meet emerging future challenges. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD The Centre for Aerospace and Security Studies (CASS), , hosted a seminar titled \u201cDominating the Skies: Strategic Use of the Air Medium in Modern Conflicts\u201d on 28 August 2025. The event was widely attended by academics, students, intellectuals, and domain experts. CASS is an independent think tank that continues to arrange academic events for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":499891,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-499874","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n