Balancing Kinetic Effects of Airpower with Counterinsurgency Objectives in Afghanistan

Abstract

Airpower is an important instrument in the Combatant Commander's tool kit and is used in Afghanistan in both a kinetic and non-kinetic manner. In Afghanistan where operations are spread across a vast area and the terrain creates challenges for other elements of joint fire support, kinetic effects from the air component is particularly important to support operations. Anti-Coalition Militants (ACM) are unable to negate the effects of kinetic airpower via direct means and have turned to indirect measures to attempt to limit its effectiveness. The ACM's indirect approach of inducing and exploiting civilian casualties has brought a great deal of negative attention regarding the use of kinetic airpower in Afghanistan. This negative attention has had the strategic effect of straining U.S. Afghan relations and forced the CENTCOM Commander to review kinetic airpower thus jeopardizing the use of this valuable asset in theater. This paper will address how the U.S. can balance the kinetic effects of airpower with strategic objectives in counterinsurgency.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 29, 2009
Accession Number
ADA494289

Entities

People

  • Eugene L. Mcfeely

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Biomedical
  • C4I
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Collateral Damage
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Counterinsurgency
  • Education
  • Fire Support
  • Governments
  • Information Operations
  • Joint Military Activities
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • Precision-Guided Munitions
  • Tactical Air Support
  • Urban Areas
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare
  • Weapons Effects

Readers

  • Combustion science or combustion engineering.
  • Military History / Militaries and War Studies
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.