The Airpower Tenet of Centralized Control From Organizational and Battle Management Perspectives

Abstract

This study examines the airpower tenet of centralized control, which US Air Force doctrine has traditionally upheld as the foundation for organizing, planning, and executing joint air operations. The tenet is examined from both an organizational and a battle management aspect. The organizational aspect refers to the command and procedural arrangements that permit a Joint Forces Air Component Commander (JFACC) to achieve unity of air effort. It is the JFACC's span of control. The battle management aspect refers to the JFACC s actions in the process of planning and executing theater air operations. It is the JFACC s level of control. Most doctrinal publications that mention JFACC operations focus on the organizational aspect, and not the battle management aspect of the tenet of centralized control. This study examines both aspects of the airpower tenet. It first covers the evolution of the air component commander s span of control, which prior to the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986 rarely permitted unity of air effort. Next it examines the JFACC levels of control exercised in Operations DESERT STORM and DELIBERATE FORCE and looks at six factors that either instigated or facilitated these different levels of control. The six factors examined are (1) the command and procedural arrangements established for the JFACC, (2) the command and control technology available in theater, (3) the status of JFACC doctrine prior to the operations, (4) the scale of air operations, (5) the criticality of certain decisions and tasks in air operations, and (6) the JFACC s leadership style. Finally, this study generates conclusions from the DESERT STORM and DELIBERATE FORCE operations and provides suggestions on how Air Force doctrine should change to reflect and anticipate the flexibility inherent to the airpower tenet of centralized control.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1997
Accession Number
ADA391854

Entities

People

  • Steven J. Depalmer

Organizations

  • Air University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Defense
  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Aircrafts
  • Battle Management
  • Battles
  • Combatant Commanders
  • Command And Control
  • Doctrine
  • Employment
  • International Law
  • Military Force Levels
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • Nato
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies

Technology Areas

  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control