A Look at the Future of Strategic Effectiveness Through the Lens of Airpower History
Abstract
The story of the U.S. Air Force (USAF), since its independence in 1947, has been one of innovation, technical marvels, and tactical precision. The USAF continues to deliver what the nation asks, in terms of global vigilance, global reach, and global power. That said, the effectiveness of the USAF has been less than perfect, and the narrative reflects this deviation. While the USAF has successfully achieved tactical effectiveness--the ability to achieve limited airpower objectives--it has often failed to achieve strategic effectiveness, which is the ability to singularly meet political goals. The defining characteristics of the Air Force in 2016 which have led to this dilemma are: a theoretical notion that airpower alone can solve the nations problems, an organizational culture centered around leadership, primarily by a subset of pilots; and, a strategic focus on the means, or the hardware, instead of on a desired end state in conflict.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1031400
Entities
People
- Tenaya G. Humphrey
Organizations
- Air Command and Staff College