Meeting the Asymmetric Challenge: How Air and Space Power Can Combat Adversaries Using Dispersed and Hidden Forces
Abstract
This study addresses how air and space power can best combat adversaries using dispersed and hidden forces (i.e. insurgents, guerrillas, and terrorists). Through research of past air and space efforts to combat these forces; the strategy, organization, and support of representative groups (i.e. Vietnamese communists, Hamas, Iraqi insurgents, and al Qaeda), and a model for strategy against these groups, air and space power demonstrates significant relevance. Air and space power relevance is important, as it can support and enable the success of US operations against adversaries in the foreseeable future. As adversaries continue to counter Amen can conventional superiority, US leaders and commanders must pursue proper employment of air and space power to answer these challenges effectively. Air and space power via special operations, air attack, airlift, ISR, and information operations hold congruent links to combating these adversaries and provide capabilities to overcome incongruence when innovatively employed with agility and flexibility. This thesis provides a past, present, and near future assessment of how these air and space functions can combat enemies using dispersed and hidden forces. This study reveals the importance of using these functions in conjunction with other civil- military-political efforts and national instruments of power, and the role of intelligence as a key enabler. The author proposes a model that plugs air and space capabilities, or tasks, into an integrated political, economic, civil-military effort against enemy dispersed forces to meet US national objectives. The Clausewitzian trinity of the people, the government, and the armed forces provides the foundation for this model.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2004
- Accession Number
- ADA477082
Entities
People
- Stephen B. Waller
Organizations
- Air University