http://i.imgur.com/GcfZfKB.png image shows the cost of an airplane when you are at very powerful level
Airforce can be used to bomb your enemy's troops, chemical plants, Growth and GDP, Factories or bombing oil wells.
You can only bomb one target every turn and you choose what to bomb. What determines victory in the air battles are the following modifiers: Technology and level of airforce.
So when launching your airstrike and the opponent has higher technology but same level of airforce, the opponent will most likely win. However there is still a small chance that your dice roll is on your side and you win. Level of airforce has the biggest impact on who wins the air battle and there is no other way to defend yourself against air raids other than having a greater airforce than your opponent. Oil is also required to use your airforce.
Level of Airforce
To increase your Airforce you need to buy airplanes at the Military policies tab. As eastern aligned and Non-aligned you buy Migs while the Western aligned nations can buy the cheaper airplane F-8 Crusader. Keep in mind that the higher airforce level you have, the more expensive your planes will become. To gain an increase of one level in airforce you need to buy planes at least once. However, two purchases are required sometimes.
You have (bomb ground forces, bomb chemical plants, bomb economy, bomb cities, bomb weapons and bomb oil)
The current Airforce levels are the following:
- Meagre
- Small
- Mediocre
- Somewhat Large
- Large
- Powerful
- Very powerful