Transforming America's Military: Integrating Unconventional Ground Forces into Combat Air Operations
Abstract
The War in Afghanistan has displayed two very powerful elements of our nation's war chest. The combination of Special Operations Forces and joint air forces decisively repulsed the outlaw Taliban. Synthesizing SOF and combat airpower is a transformation in the operational art of employing forces. American military experiences over the last decade, influenced by political constraints and a seeming desire by the American public to minimize friendly combatant and enemy non-combatant casualties, have forced our leadership to rethink the introduction of provocative large troop formations on foreign soil. In consequence, policy makers have chosen to depart significantly from land-centric strategies of warfare, turning instead to the global reach and precision engagement of joint air power as the method for projecting our nation s influence. American involvement in major military actions since the end of Operation Desert Storm has been focused primarily on air and space resources directed and controlled by the JFACC. In Afghanistan, air power was significantly enhanced by unconventional forces on the ground. Meanwhile, forces of our ad hoc coalition partners have born the brunt of high intensity force-on-force land battles. The most recent example of this method for employing forces is the US-led military campaign in Afghanistan. In Central Asia, the forces providing terminal attack control, laser guidance, and target surveillance have been Special Operations Forces, CIA operatives, and indigenous coalition land forces. These are proving to be extremely effective ad hoc arrangements. This study examines the transformation of the American way of war and how to efficiently employ SOF and CIA operatives at the operational level in support of an air-centric operation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 04, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA401010
Entities
People
- David M. Sullivan
Organizations
- Naval War College