This monograph examines whether or not the current U.S. Army Operational Design methodology could increase the effectiveness of airpower. Analysis of existing design literature provides a common understanding of the U.S. Army’s design methodology...
The mission of the United States Air Force is to fly, fight, and win. This monograph seeks to determine what is the best means of motivating airmen under fire, minimize the effects of combat stress, and avert unit disintegration. This journey...
The purpose of this monograph is to provide a definition of operational fires, illustrate the concept with historical examples, and highlight doctrinal implications for the command and control of these fires. Operational fires are distinctly...
This monograph examines under what circumstances, if at all, an air campaign can achieve decisive results independent of other forces. The recent war in the Persian Gulf has given the research question its immediate significance. Given the...
The following monograph is a circumscribed look at the effects of air power on achieving political objectives. It is no way intended to be a commentary on the relative bravery of airmen compared to soldiers and sailors or an attempt to justify...
Airpower has a significant influence within the American political process. Political debate over the application of airpower in limited conflicts involves when and how to use it, and whether it can be the sole means of military force. This...
This monograph addresses the concept that air power can win a war alone. It reviews key air power theorists who have had a significant impact on U.S. air power thought in order to understand the theoretical basis for the idea that air power can win...
This thesis examines the position the B-52 has filled in support of U.S. national security objectives and deterrence. This thesis recommends that the B-52G augment the bomber fleet until the B-2 and new precision-guided munitions become available...
Both joint and Air Force doctrine are clear on the intent of the US to use effects-based targeting in military conflicts for the foreseeable future. The Air Force embraced this concept as early as World War II, but has met with mixed results. This...
This monograph examines several definitions for the operational fires concept, and traces the theoretical underpinnings of operational fires from both Russian operational theory and airpower theories. The monograph then examines historical examples...
Sergeant First Class (SFC) Matthew T. Gruidl was awarded the Silver Star for heroism in connection with military operations against a hostile force in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. SFC Gruidl distinguished himself while serving as a...
This monograph examines the ability of each service to support the joint suppression of enemy air defenses (J-SEAD). J-SEAD involves using all available forces, such as aircraft, artillery and electronic warfare, to effectively suppress enemy...
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...
While technologically the Army's air defense community is making great strides in keeping pace with a perceived revolution in military affairs (RMA), doctrinally it is still adhering to its WWII requirement of positive visual identification of...
After the Persian Gulf War of 1991, the Department of Defense presented the United States Congress with an official, joint account of Desert Storm. At the same time, each of the military services offered its own version of events to the American...
Is American air power sliding toward irrelevancy in the security environment that the United States confronts as it moves into the twenty-first century? Attitudes of certain senior airmen about the application of air power in the new security...
In the spring of 1972, North Vietnam launched a massive, three-pronged attack into South Vietnam that was eventually repulsed by South Vietnamese forces, United States (US) advisors and massive amounts of American airpower. The problem is...
Today's USAF air-to-air combat forces must be prepared to gain and maintain air superiority quickly with minimum losses. Considering the numerical superiority and rapidly advancing quality of the threat, this requirement places a high premium on a...
Several significant events of the past decade have demonstrated the importance of tactical integrated air defense. These events include the air war over North Vietnam, the 1973 Middle East War, and the changes in Soviet offensive tactical air...
This monograph examines various campaign planning considerations for peace enforcement operations. Peace enforcement, which is the use of military force to either restore or compel peace, is becoming more prevalent, particularly as the United...