Responding to comments made by the Secretary of Defense in April 2008, the United States Air Force began procuring thirty-seven C-12 class aircraft to augment existing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems already operating in the...
This monograph examines the U. S. military capability to defend strategic airlift aircraft against current and projected threats in humanitarian assistance operations. The size of the Joint Task Force (JTF) is frequently restricted by political,...
The United States Air Force (USAF) has developed the ability to strike newly detected targets within minutes by pre-positioning aircraft near potential targets. This “dynamic targeting” process provides responsiveness and flexibility, but it...
The attack helicopter battalions within the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) sequentially transition to the AH-64D beginning January 1999 and lasting through May 2002. During this period, air assault operations will be conducted with three...
The USAF Wild Weasel mission was born in 1965 during the Vietnam conflict. The purpose of the mission was to counter the serious radar-directed threats that were decimating the US fighter arsenal. While the current F-4G Wild Weasel aircraft has...
As originally conceived in World War I, combat reporting from tactical aircraft has the potential to provide critical information concerning friendly operations and enemy activity to enhance situational awareness, supporting force protection and...
The U.S. Army, after years of false starts and unfilled promises, is about to make good on its commitment to field an unmanned aerial vehicle system at the maneuver brigade level. Called the Shadow 200 tactical UAV (TUAV), it promises to...
The need for a Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance (LAAR) aircraft in counterinsurgency (COIN) is a topic that will often be debated as the conflict in Afghanistan continues and the United States Air Force (USAF) looks at how it can use airpower to...
The importance of protecting limited aircraft assets cannot be overstated. The loss of a modern aircraft entails the probable loss of highly trained and experienced crews that took years to develop. Furthermore, if a target is missed because of...
This study explores the evolution of technology and the aerial dogfight. It looks at how technology has tried unsuccessfully to eliminate the need for aircraft to engage in close-in aerial combat know as "aerial dogfights," to achieve air...
The Airlift Master Plan was developed as a guide for achieving long-term military airlift objectives. The cornerstone of the plan is the development and acquisition of the C-17. Although the C-17's 'direct-delivery' concept is new, the quest for...
This monograph discusses the role of the U.S.A.F. F-15E “Strike Eagle” in providing air support for the Army AirLand Battle-Future concept. This advanced and highly capable aircraft has achieved operational capability with two tactical fighter...
Given that half of the world’s populace currently resides in urban environments, the United States armed forces find themselves at odds with the challenges urban combat imposes. For example, dense terrain features, noncombatants interspersed with...
This thesis investigates the question: Will Close Air Support (CAS) in the year 2000 be as close as CAS today? Today's CAS is dependent upon the ground commander's perception of the situation, and focuses primarily on forces beyond the commander's...
Operation 'ECLIPSE' may be put into operation either as the result of a formal signature of the Instrument of Surrender by German Plenipotentiaries or alternatively on the decision of the Supreme Commander after the main portion of the German...
Over the past thirty years, the attack helicopter has matured as an integral part of the U. S. Army's warfighting team. Operation Desert Storm put the stamp of success on three decades of attack helicopter development, beginning during the Vietnam...
Current U.S. Air Force doctrine promotes offensive air operations as the primary means of gaining air superiority and then exploiting that success by attacking enemy forces/LOCs/logistics, etc. on the ground. Such reliance on the offense begs the...
This study examines the ability of the upgraded A-10 to effectively support the Army’s interim force in the year 2010. The A-10A Thunderbolt II is the first and only USAF aircraft specifically designed to provide close air support to friendly...