What is one of the key capabilities of air operations?

Agility is considered one of the key capabilities of air operations because it allows aerial units to rapidly maneuver and adapt to changing battlefield conditions. The nature of air operations necessitates quick reactions to emerging threats and the ability to reposition forces as required. This agility enables air forces to conduct a variety of missions, such as reconnaissance, close air support, and air superiority, all while maintaining the flexibility to respond to unexpected developments in real-time.

Air operations benefit significantly from this capability, as aircraft can engage targets from different altitudes and angles, change mission parameters on-the-fly, and seamlessly coordinate with ground and naval forces. The speed and maneuverability of aircraft ensure that they can exploit opportunities and cover vast areas quickly, giving them a strategic advantage over less agile forces.

In contrast, attributes like heavy armoring, strategic ground maneuvering, and intensive hand-to-hand combat do not align with the primary focus of air operations, as they pertain more to land combat and infantry tactics rather than the unique capabilities offered by aerial assets.