The Role of Offensive Air Power in Low Intensity Conflict
Abstract
The United States has assumed the role of the world's last remaining superpower and as such has been called upon to act in the leadership role in addressing the. world's wrongs. With the elimination of the U.S.'s 'traditional' adversary, the orientation has been away from global war and toward smaller, regional conflicts as the new norm. The reemerging crisis in the Balkans and other regions of the world has resulted in a domestic and international call for U.S. action. The highest levels of U.S. government have seen the 'promise' of air-power as a means of influencing events in these areas of low intensity conflict without entering the potential quagmire reminiscent of Vietnam. In this regard, the history of American airpower's effectiveness since World War II is most instructive in demonstrating how limited the applicability of offensive air power really is to low intensity conflict. The ultimate effectiveness of offensive air power depends most heavily on its capability to credibly affect the vulnerabilities of the belligerent's center of gravity and its support structure....Air-power, Low intensity conflict, Center of gravity, Vulnerabilities
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 17, 1993
- Accession Number
- ADA266899
Entities
People
- Steven A. Kiepe
Organizations
- Naval War College