Tactical Airpower at the Operational Level of War

Abstract

This theses investigates the question: How Can Tactical Air Forces (TAF) Best Support The Operational Commander In His Maneuver Of Large Ground Forces? It defines the framework and activities of the operational level of war as a self-contained and synergistic system. Within that system, the conduct of air and land operations using maneuver theory is examined. Various operational offensive maneuvers (penetration, envelopment and frontal attacks) and defensive situations (retrograde operations, attack into a salient, and break out from the encirclement) have been laid out. By comparing these situations against the various stages of air superiority, the theses analyzes the spectrum of airpower options in those scenarios. Keywords: Tactical air power, Operational level of war, Maneuver theory, Attrition theory, Stalingrad, Center-of-gravity, Operational commander, Counter air, Air interdiction, Battlefield air interdiction, Close air support, Tactical air forces, Tactical air support, Theses. (RWJ)

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1990
Accession Number
ADA229001

Entities

People

  • Daniel W. Jordan

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Counter WMD
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerial Warfare
  • Air Defense
  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Airframes
  • Attrition
  • Combat Areas
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Counterair Operations
  • Fighter Aircraft
  • Geography
  • Military History
  • Military Organizations
  • National Security
  • Tactical Air Support
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • Engineering

Readers

  • Aerospace logistics and air mobility.
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies