The Airspace Wedge Problem: Why Russia May Not Have Violated NATO Airspace (Military Science Book 90)

When Estonia accused Russia of an airspace violation, both governments insisted they were right. Both had radar data. Both had mathematics. Both were correct.What if airspace sovereignty itself is geometrically impossible to define?In this groundbreaking study, former naval officer and legal scholar Dr. Cor P.M. van Houte exposes a silent flaw at the heart of modern international law. The Chicago Convention of 1944 grants nations complete sovereignty over the air above their territory—but never explains how two-dimensional borders project upward on a spherical planet.Through a blend of mathematical modeling, aerospace engineering, and international law, van Houte uncovers the Airspace Wedge Problem: a geometric inevitability that ensures neighboring states’ vertical borders diverge as altitude increases, creating invisible gaps and overlaps in sovereignty.At low altitudes, these wedges are invisible.At high altitudes—where hypersonic weapons, suborbital flights, and reconnaissance drones now operate—they become zones of dispute, confusion, and potential conflict.Drawing on detailed case studies from the Baltics, the Taiwan Strait, the Aegean, and the Line of Control, this book shows how precision sensors and geopolitical rivalry collide with the limits of geometry itself.Key insights include:The formula that defines the true shape of sovereign airspaceWhy legal frameworks cannot resolve wedge conflicts without geometryHow radar uncertainty and measurement error distort sovereignty attributionThe real reason Russia, China, Turkey, and others face persistent “violations” that neither side can conclusively proveHow redefining sovereignty in three dimensions could prevent future crisesDeeply researched yet accessible, The Airspace Wedge Problem bridges law, science, and strategy—revealing how the invisible structure of the Earth itself undermines the legal architecture of the skies.A must-read for:International law scholarsAerospace engineers and defense professionalsDiplomats, policymakers, and military plannersReaders of geopolitics, strategy, and science of sovereigntyAbout the AuthorDr. Cor P.M. van Houte is a Doctor of Laws, former Navy, and military consultant specializing in military science and defense strategy. His research integrates geometry, technology, and international law to challenge long-standing assumptions about sovereignty in three dimensions. Read more