In January 1943 the Chief of Staff, U.S. Army, and Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Navy agreed that the formation of a joint committee to assess enemy Naval and merchant shipping losses during World War II would be desirable. Accordingly the JOINT...
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...
Since 2001, U.S. Air Force fighter aircraft have flown combat sorties with abnormally high flight durations while participating in Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom. These longer sortie durations have added previously unanticipated...
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,...
America’s AF has adopted a strategy that reduces and then modernizes its remaining legacy fleet of combat aircraft. The strategy attempts to free up the necessary funding required to procure a modernized AF with all stealth bombers and fighters....
In 1961, the new Secretary of Defense, Robert McNamara directed a joint aircraft acquisition program called the TFX, which would produce the first common aerial platform for multiple services. The resulting drama, subterfuge and resistance by the...
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 manual is primarily a ready reference to assist the ground observer in aircraft recognition and identification. It provides information on current operational aircraft of the United States and foreign countries, which may be observed worldwide...
In 2015, the USAF plans to start its first class of F-35A Initial Qualification Training (IQT) students immediately following their graduation from Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT). This class will signify the beginning of F-35A...
The United States military enjoys the continued growth of Remotely Piloted Aircraft assets and personnel. By 2015, Creech Air Force Base will employ almost one in every five active duty Air Force pilots. Remotely Piloted Aircraft are in such demand...
Since the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, the airfield attack subset of the counter-air role became increasingly hazardous to attacking aircrews due to improvements and proliferation of anti-air weapons. The United States and coalition air forces in...
This thesis examines several successful and unsuccessful military aircraft development programs intended to serve as a basis for identifying the potential challenges that might be encountered by developers of heavy lift aircraft required to support...
Although there are credible threats to the United States Global Positioning System (GPS), sustainment of the constellation remains the greatest challenge. As GPS satellites reach the end of their operational life cycle, there is a risk the United...
The Army Reserve Aerial Reconnaissance Multi-Sensor (ARMS) Aircraft are no longer required to provide overwatch in Iraq. With budgetary constraints, both the Department of Defense (DoD) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) must employ fiscal...
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...
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...
This study investigates the potential improvement in aircraft fleet health resulting from consolidating phase and cannibalization aircraft in the 388th Equipment Maintenance Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Never before have these programs...
The purpose of this monograph is to formulate an improvement to and highlight deficiencies in the current manner of the command and control of unmanned aircraft systems. The paper employs a historical method of analysis of the centralization of the...
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 large battlespace in Iraq and Afghanistan has exposed an existing time and distance intra-theater airlift "gap" within the Department of Defense that cannot be met with Army tactical helicopters like the CH-47 Chinook and UH-60 Blackhawk or...