Air Policing
Abstract
Currently, the United States finds itself in a predicament similar to that which Great Britain experienced after emerging from the First World War as she dealt with the governance of a growing empire. Some air-minded proponents are asking whether the air policing policy developed and implemented by Great Britain during the interwar years offers any relevancy for the contemporary Iraqi situation. Specifically, does air policing offer a means to mitigate the reduction in capability associated with the drawdown of conventional U.S. ground forces in Iraq? This monograph presents case studies of the employment and evolution of British air policing operations from 1919 to 1934. The case studies examine the origins, development, and mature employment of British air policing doctrine in the Third Afghan War, Somaliland, Mesopotamia, and Aden. Air strikes were a significant factor in preventing tactical defeats from having strategic consequences and in preserving political will. The ability to rapidly transport and resupply small ground force teams proved essential to conducting rapid decisive actions, provided for increased security and freedom from attack, and reduced the requirement for ground-based logistics support. The ability to rapidly transport civilian governing personnel across the physical vastness of a governed territory also was extremely effective. Psychological operations conducted from aircraft were effective at communicating and reinforcing government directives. Reconnaissance provided actionable intelligence, enabled overwatch of small unit teams, and permitted observation of otherwise unreachable sections of territory. While the study shows that the British doctrine of Inverted Blockade is unsuitable for contemporary Iraqi counterinsurgency operations, and the doctrine of Interference offers only minor utility, the employment of air power in close coordination with ground forces and in direct support of local governance could be extremely effective.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 2009
- Accession Number
- ADA506166
Entities
People
- John E. Murphy
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College