The Role of Air Force Special Operations Forces in the Low Intensity Conflict Environment

Abstract

As the 1990s begin, the United States global orientation and national security interests will be continually challenged across the entire operational continuum. However, it is reasonable to expect that the majority of future conflicts will be at the low end of the continuum -- low intensity conflicts. The Air Force Special Operations Forces, representing a unique component of airpower and force projection, will be trained and equipped to respond to such challenges. Properly employed, these forces along with their joint counterparts provide the deployability, versatility and lethality for force application in the future. This study provides an understanding of how the roles and missions of the Air Force Special operations Forces are an integral part of the United States Special Operations Command five principal mission activities. It includes a review of definitions and missions. It analyzes the capabilities and limitations for deploying these forces. The study concludes that the Air Force Special Operations Forces are ready to cope with the challenges of the Twenty-first Century.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 05, 1991
Accession Number
ADA236491

Entities

People

  • Arthur A. Jistel

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Sensors
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Inertial Navigation
  • Inertial Navigation Systems
  • Maintenance
  • Military Force Levels
  • Military Organizations
  • National Security
  • Seal Teams
  • Special Operations Forces
  • Students
  • Tanker Aircraft
  • Training
  • Unconventional Warfare
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Irregular Warfare and Special Operations Cyberspace Operations against Adversarial Threats.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.