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In this paper, Lt Col Devin L. Cate tackles the question of whether an air superiority fighter is relevant to warfare in the twenty-first century.

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This thesis focuses on operational-level coalition air force interactions in three conflicts: the Korean War (1950–53), the Persian Gulf War (1990–91), and the Balkan Air Campaign (1992–95). The capability that coalition air forces offer usually benefits the overall effort, while each member’s diverging desires (or will) can degrade overall unity of effort. Analysis of the three conflicts presented here suggests several coalition considerations for air component commanders. Because each case in this thesis had unique elements that may have affected the coalition, a comparison of these elements may also reveal considerations which are important to the air component commander. Finally, the current US programs to train joint force air component commanders and operational-level staffs show promising trends for improving our ability to operate within a coalition....

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INTRODUCTION . . . . 1 THE KOREAN WAR . . . . . . 7 THE PERSIAN GULF WAR . . . . . . 23 THE BALKAN AIR CAMPAIGN . . . . 37 CONCLUSIONS . . . . . 51 BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . 61...

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This study proposes a joint architecture that potentially would reduce the resources required to procure, move, store, and maintain bare base assets. Because expeditionary basing is one of its distinctive capabilities, the Air Force should be designated as the executive agent for joint bare base operations, with each service continuing to train its bare base support forces and meet its service-specific requirements....

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In this paper, Col David B. Hume, who served as an expeditionary air support operation group commander in Operation Iraqi Freedom, explores some of the mission employment and doctrinal issues associated with this emerging weapons system and argues that weaponized unmanned aircrafts should be commanded and controlled just like close-air-support (CAS) assets....

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Colonel Lenderman explores the increase in the number and influence of mobility generals in the late twentieth century and looks toward the future, presenting possible reasons why these generals will continue to rise or why their opportunities may be limited. She concludes by discussing the significance of this study as it pertains to the Air Force’s development and the nation’s security....

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1 MAHAN AND THE PURPOSE OF AIRPOWER . .1 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 2 THE RISE OF MOBILITY OPERATIONS . . . . 9 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 3 THE RISE OF MOBILITY GENERALS . . . . . . 27 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 4 THE FUTURE OF MOBILITY GENERALS . . . .61 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .72 5 CONCLUSIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .77 BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79...

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Air Combat Command (ACC) relies on Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) systems for air-to-air combat training and large force employment flight debrief. Although extremely effective training enhancements, these systems are enormously expensive and typically require flight over restricted airspace ranges. These factors have prevented fleetwide implementation of ACMI training on a daily basis. This study presents a summary of the development of the current and proposed family of ACMI systems and the capabilities each system provides. The Kadena Interim Training System provides a suitable case study to compare requirements of current ACMI features to the capabilities available using internal components....

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1 BACKGROUND . . . . 1 2 ACMI CONCEPTS, SOLUTIONS, AND REQUIREMENTS AND LIMITATIONS . . . . 13 3 ACMI SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT AND KADENA INTERIM TRAINING SYSTEM . . . . . 21 4 PROPOSAL FOR INTERNAL SOLUTIONS . . . . . 27 5 POTENTIAL SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND CONFIGURATION . . . . . 45 6 POTENTIAL ADVANTAGES. . . . 55 7 CONCLUSIONS. . . . 63 8 RECOMMENDATIONS . . . . . 67...

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In this paper, I seek to demonstrate that the methods of using airpower to take the fight to the enemy and protect our ground forces during small wars need not involve the most advanced aircraft available. This “low-tech” approach does not suggest using lesser technology per se but proposes a different look for the types of aircraft that can perform a specific mission and for their manner of employment—that of protecting ground forces while combating the elusive insurgent. These same aircraft can prove invaluable in training an indigenous force to take the fight forward. By looking to relatively inexpensive, off-the-shelf aircraft, the Air Force can protect its ground-based charges and cement a relationship with embattled nations by helping them help themselves....

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The thesis of this paper is that the advanced capabilities provided by TSAT are limited and will not be sufficient to serve the ground-based portion of the communications network supporting network-centric warfare (NCW). To validate this proposition, this study will start by identifying space-based systems that will enable NCW, discuss the requirements for ground-based NCW, and finally determine the combination of spaced-based systems sufficient to deliver advanced capabilities to the war fighter....

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CAS has been a heavily debated topic within the services for decades. CAS doctrine and training issues have affected aircraft procurement, interservice relationships, and the application and effectiveness of airpower on the battlefield. While much progress has been made since 2001, the services must continue to make CAS more effective. On the modern battlefield, the joint application of firepower is a reality, not a concept. It is time to “engage” the doctrinal and training challenges facing our services in order to increase the effectiveness of our aviation forces in the CAS arena....

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Doctrine governing the integration of air and ground operations has been a hotly contested area since World War I. Historically, the services have developed and published their doctrine separately, often causing seams in thought and execution. Although joint doctrine exists for today’s joint force, its development followed the same historical pattern—taking service doctrines and “melding” into joint doctrine. This construct for developing joint doctrine has its shortcomings, which are most often manifested where we least likely want to see them—on the battlefield....

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1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 2 FRAMEWORK FOR INTRODUCING FUTURE JOINT DOCTRINE CONCEPTS . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 3 SUPPORTED/SUPPORTING RELATIONSHIPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 4 ESTABLISHING DIRECTIVES AND EMERGING CONCEPTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 5 SYNCHRONIZATION OF INTERDICTION AND MANEUVER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36 6 JOINT FIRES CONCEPTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50 7 FIRE SUPPORT COORDINATION MEASURES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .62 8 CREATING SYNERGY AND MINIMIZING SEAMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ....

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This study analyzes whether special operations forces (SOF) should use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to support intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, communications, and resupply capability deficiencies. The author’s objective is to review the missions and requirements of the United States Special Operations Command, examine current and future unmanned aerial vehicle technologies, and analyze whether unmanned aircraft technologies are mature enough to meet the demanding special operations mission. The result of the analysis is that unmanned aerial vehicles have tremendous potential. But, due to the technological limitations and a lack of systems maturity, unmanned aerial vehicles lack the range, reliability, datalink capability, and size to meet SOF needs at this time. However, in the future, UAVs should be able to fulfill several SOF capability deficiencies....

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INTRODUCTION . . . . 1 Notes . . . . . 3 SPECIAL OPERATIONS TASKS AND CAPABILITY DEFICIENCIES . . . . . 5 Notes . . . . . 12 CURRENT AND EMERGING UAV TECHNOLOGIES . . . . 13 Notes . . . . . 24 ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION . . . . 27 Notes . . . . . 35 BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . 37...

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This study examines the rise of operations other than war (OOTW) as a new and prominent tasking for the armed services of the United States. The author, Lt Col Charles W. Hasskamp, USAF, is an advocate of the OOTW mission, and he argues that the US Special Forces Command is an excellent instrument for the task....

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The purpose of this paper is to determine to what extent and how the joint forces commander (JFC) should control support from space forces. To examine this issue of in-theater control of space forces more closely, this study is divided into five chapters. Following the introduction chapter 2 looks into how space forces were planned for and employed during Desert Storm. This chapter discusses who was in charge and what planning processes were used. In chapter 3 lessons and initiatives to improve planning and employment of support from space forces are discussed. Chapter 4 explores the possible need to have one individual in-theater clearly identified as being responsible for directing space forces. Centralized control, similar to air, may have beneficial effects that allow joint commanders to take better advantage of space forces’ full potential. This study concludes by offering recommendations....

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1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . 1 Notes . . . 5 2 PLANNING FOR SUPPORT FROM SPACE FORCES . . . . 7 Notes . . . 15 3 LEARNING THE LESSONS AND SOLVING THE PROBLEMS . . . . . 17 Notes . . . 25 4 CENTRALIZED CONTROL . . . . . . 29 Notes . . . 34 5 CONCLUSIONS . . . . . 37 Notes . . . 39...

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The purpose of this study is to help ensure the US military, especially the USAF, is prepared to take advantage of reusable launch vehicles (RLV) should the NASA-led effort to develop an RLV demonstrator prove successful. The focus of this study is an explanation of how the US military could use RLVs, by describing and analyzing two concepts of operations....

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INTRODUCTION . . . 1 CONCEPTS AND ATTRIBUTES . . . . . . . 7 CONCEPTS OF OPERATIONS . . . . . . 19 ANALYSIS . . . . 29 CONCLUSIONS . . . . 43 BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . 49...

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The F/A-22 Raptor is a new weapons system replacing the F-15C Eagle. The F/A-22’s development, testing, and IOC declaration at Langley AFB, Virginia, in December 2005 closely parallels the F-15A’s experience of 29 years ago. This paper provides background information on both aircraft, their T&E processes, and their first operational assignments to Langley AFB. Comparisons are made, differences highlighted, and recommendations offered. While it may appear that everything about the F/A-22 is new, the path to its IOC is well worn....

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This paper provides a brief summary of the direct costs associated with automation. It also provides a framework for designers, managers, and pilots in implementing measures to mitigate these costs. Safety improvements are not the province of any one of these groups. Instead, an integrated effort between these communities is necessary to promote aviation safety. I have assumed that the reader has a working knowledge of glass cockpit aircraft as well as a basic understanding of human factors issues. The scope of this project is narrowed to focus exclusively on automation issues arising from studies of transport aircraft. In spite of this specific focus on aviation, the issues raised here apply across a wide range of highly automated domains....

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This study then examined Joint Publication 3-58, Joint Doctrine for Military Deception, and determined it could better incorporate the lessons learned from World War II. Current joint doctrine could be improved by underscoring the contribution that deception provides to surprise, the importance of integrating deception within all three levels of war, and the importance of exploiting an adversary’s preexisting beliefs when creating a deception story. Applying these World War II lessons will bolster US deception capabilities....

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This study analyzes and builds on Dr. Robert Pape’s framework for analyzing airpower strategies. The analysis shows the underlying value of his Targets and Timing, Mechanism, Outcomes construct as well as the considerable clarification and expansion it requires in order to perform comprehensive air strategy analysis for the broad range of strategic air and space tasks....

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This study analyzes the evolution of targeting organizations to identify their strengths and evaluate their impact on future organizations. While both strategic and tactical targeting are discussed, the primary emphasis is on the former. This study analyzes the evolution of targeting organizations to identify their strengths and evaluate their impact on future organizations. While both strategic and tactical targeting are discussed, the primary emphasis is on the former....

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1 INTRODUCTION . . . . . 1 2 CENTRALIZATION OR DECENTRALIZATION? . . . . 3 3 TARGETING AND ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE . . . . 9 4 THE EVOLUTION OF TARGETING . . . . 17 5 FINDINGS, OBSERVATIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS . . . 37...

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Organizational change strategies for acquisition are essential due to the enormity of change required of the acquisition community. The Congress and the DOD have made many previous attempts at acquisition reform, but most have had little effect. To make sure our current reform efforts make positive, lasting changes, we must transform the acquisition culture. To date, little attention has been paid to cultural change aspects. To that end, this paper offers some ideas for organizations undergoing change for acquisition reform....