You've got to be Kidding: Empowering the JFACC with Selected Ground Reconnaissance Forces
Abstract
In the last twenty years, airpower has become a decisive force in its own right beginning with Desert Storm followed by Operation Allied Force and most recently Operation Enduring Freedom. Two primary lessons were learned from these three conflicts concerning airpower. First, airpower cannot win wars by itself; it needs the synergistic effects of ground forces. Second, US Special Forces on the ground early dramatically increase the effectiveness of the air campaign. If these lessons are indeed true, how can we make airpower more effective than current constructs? This paper seeks to demonstrate that the airpower can become more effective when SOF or other conventional reconnaissance forces are placed under the control of the JFACC for initial rapid and decisive airpower operations. When the JFACC employs these reconnaissance forces, they become ground-targeting sensors for airpower. Due to the shortage of SOF and CCT, this paper also advocates using other reconnaissance forces within DOD to accomplish target acquisition tasks as well as post-strike BOA. A minor change to joint doctrine is required for this proposal.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 02, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA415381
Entities
People
- Lawrence T. Brown
Organizations
- Naval War College