What significant aviation prediction did Brigadier General Billy Mitchell make regarding future warfare?

Brigadier General Billy Mitchell was a prominent advocate for the role of aviation in military strategy, and he foresaw that airplanes would fundamentally change the nature of warfare. His prediction that airplanes would dominate the battle was rooted in his belief that air power would provide a decisive advantage in both offensive and defensive operations. He argued that aviation could strike at an enemy's critical infrastructure and provide support for ground forces in ways that were previously unimaginable. This vision laid the groundwork for the future integration of air power into military operations, making it an essential component of modern warfare strategies.

The other possibilities do not capture the full scope of Mitchell's visionary thinking. While he recognized that airplanes could enhance naval capabilities and acknowledged their supportive roles in battles, he strongly emphasized that their primary impact would be in dominating the battlefield itself. The notion that airplanes would replace ground troops does not align with his belief in the synergy between air and ground forces; instead, he saw them as complementary components of military strategy. Thus, the assertion that airplanes will dominate the battle aligns best with Mitchell's revolutionary ideas about the future of warfare.