Which of the following is one of the six Air Defense Principles?

• A. Mass
• B. Efficiency
• C. Redundancy
• D. Secrecy

Answer: (A)

Mass is the idea of concentrating available air defense fires at the point of decision to overwhelm the attacker and ensure interception. In practice, it means pulling together sensors, command and control, and shooters so that when a target is detected, multiple weapons systems engage it in a coordinated way. This creates a higher probability of kill and reduces the chance a target can slip through gaps, because the defender isn’t relying on a single shot or a lone platform. The effect is a cohesive, layered defense where firepower is applied where and when it’s most needed.

Efficiency, redundancy, and secrecy are important concepts in military operations, but they are not the principle being tested here. Efficiency is about doing things well or with minimal waste, redundancy is about having backups to maintain capability, and secrecy concerns guarding information; none of these represent the specific practice of massing fire to defeat air threat.