The Difficulty in Measuring the Effectiveness of Airpower at the Operational Level of War
Abstract
The difficulty in measuring the effectiveness of airpower at the operational level of war has persisted throughout history and carries direct relevance for future operations. The use of airpower during the Second World War in both the Pacific and Europe will illustrate this challenge, while the Berlin Airlift and Six Day War of 1967 will demonstrate how airpower's effects can be effectively measured at the operational level of war. These case studies will show the importance of measures of effectiveness (MOE) and measures of performance (MOP) development for determining successful execution of air operations. It follows that any newly adopted airpower doctrine, effects-based operations (EBO) or otherwise, should first address the question of measurability when it comes to desired effects. With these objective and unbiased MOE, Joint Force Commanders (JFC) will be better prepared to make informed decisions about the appropriate sequencing of current operations. Therefore, rather than adopting new doctrinal guidelines without distinct advantages in assessing operational level effectiveness, future efforts should be directed towards developing criteria to accurately measure the effectiveness of airpower in theater strategic and operational level applications to facilitate a more productive use of airpower's capabilities.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 13, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA463283
Entities
People
- David M. Gaedecke
Organizations
- Naval War College