Bombing Beyond the Battlefield: An Air Force Imperative.
Abstract
The current world political scene is changing at an unprecedented pace, and U.S. policy makers are struggling to define a clear guide for the future. With the Cold War declared over, many see a drastically reduced military threat to the U.S. Concurrently, the U.S. economic situation is tenuous, domestic issues cry out for attention and dollars, and politicians and the public are looking for a peace dividend. In this environment, Air Force leaders are in the process of making decisions about the shape of the future Air Force. They must balance the requirement to reduce spending with the responsibility to provide for the capability to meet national military objectives in support of national security strategy. One key element to past Air Force contribution has been bombing beyond the battlefield. This paper looks at the past to see examples of what has been done and what was learned. It further looks at what Air Force leaders see as the future global mission of the service and how the capability to bomb beyond the battlefield fits as a component of that strategy as well as what is and will be available to perform this mission. The conclusion is drawn that the mission of bombing beyond the battlefield will remain an Air Force imperative and additional F-15Es should be part of future fighter force structure.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 03, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA235205
Entities
People
- John H. Buckner Jr.
Organizations
- United States Army War College