U.S. Air Force: Inadequately Prepared for Forward Operations in a Combat Environment

Abstract

The United States Air Force, for many years, has successfully deployed Airmen all over the world to execute operations. To do so, during all major conflicts, the Air Force has set up temporary Forward Operating Locations (FOL) to support their mission. Due to the shift in the nature of the war from initial conventional to insurgency, not since the Vietnam War has forward-deployed Air Force basing been enveloped within a violent insurgency environment. This paper addresses the major planning and capability shortfalls experienced during the development of the Air Force FOL network within Iraq beginning in June 2003. It will also review logistics challenges created by failures to upgrade outdated support systems and the deficiencies in training and equipping our Airmen for working and living in a combat environment. Finally, solutions are identified to resolve issues experienced during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and to help transform today's Air Force into a more rapidly deployable and capable force to counter tomorrow's adversary.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 16, 2006
Accession Number
ADA463370

Entities

People

  • Thomas G. Clark

Organizations

  • Naval War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Afghanistan Conflict
  • Air Force
  • Air Force Personnel
  • Air Force Training
  • Combat Support
  • Deployment
  • Improvised Explosive Devices
  • Iraqi-War
  • Logistics
  • Personnel Management
  • Training
  • Unexploded Ammunition
  • United States
  • Vietnam War
  • War
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Aerospace logistics and air mobility.
  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.