Roles and Missions and the Strategic Airlift Problem
Abstract
The purpose of this monograph is to answer the question; a brigade in 96 hours: can the U.S. Air Force move the U.S. Army in time? In doing so this monograph explores the roles and missions of the U.S. Air Force and its Air Mobility Command (AMC), the Civil Reserve Airlift Fleet (CRAF) and current and future airlift platforms to determine if they meet the future challenges of strategic airlift. This is important because the U.S. Army relies on the U.S. Air Force to move it troops and equipment globally. General Eric Shinseki established the goal of having a brigade that deploys in 96 hours, a division in 120 hours, and five divisions in 30 days. To meet that goal he is developing the medium weight brigade to lighten heavy brigades and increase the lethality of light brigades. If the U.S. Army has units that are capable of being deployed in 96 hours then the U.S. Air Force must have the requisite assets to move those forces. Although the CRAF program facilitates the movement of forces on a strategic scale those assets are not capable of conducting landings in a hostile environment. Additionally, the U.S. Air Force has only one strategic airlifter capable of landing on austere airfields with limited or no logistics.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA381855
Entities
People
- Wayne C. Grieme Jr
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College