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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 July 2016
May I say that I consider it a great privilege to be asked to give this lecture to honour the memory of such a distinguished leader in the Aviation Industry.
Of the principles of war defined by Clausewitz the element of surprise has probably made the greatest contribution to success. In the military context therefore denial of surprise to a potential aggressor is paramount. Equally, the acquisition of intelligence to ensure surprise is a vital factor in any operational venture. As General Lemnitzer said in 1963, when Supreme Allied Commander Europe, ‘Aerial reconnaissance permits the effective use of valuable resources and forces and can easily spell the difference between the success and failure of any military operation’. These words underline the importance of reconnaissance to the successful conduct of war. This has been true throughout the history of warfare and perhaps never more so than during the Arab/Israeli wars of 1967 and 1973.
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