The Expeditionary Aerospace Force: Is the Air Force Really Expeditionary?
Abstract
In 1998, the Air Force introduced a new concept for organizing, training, equipping, and deploying for overseas operations. Describing this change fundamentally as a change from a garrison to an expeditionary force, the new vision was called the Expeditionary Aerospace Force (EAF). Under this concept, the Air Force declared it would provide rapidly responsive, tailored-to-need aerospace force capability, prepared and ready to conduct military operations across the spectrum of conflict. To effect this change, the Air Force compiled pools of force structure in ten groupings called Air Expeditionary Forces (AEFs). These AEFs represent aerospace capability in pre-determined, scheduled sets of forces (approximately 150 combat aircraft and 10,000-15,000 personnel). From these groupings, task organized force packages would deploy, providing forces for theater commanders' requirements short of major theater war. This new approach has been criticized by sources in and out of the Air Force. The author concludes that the EAF concept meets or exceeds virtually all of the most stringent criteria used to describe expeditionary units and concepts. However, the concept fails in one critical area: training. Under the new plan, the Air Force will continue to rely on existing training programs to prepare units and personnel for expeditionary operations. These systems do not fully integrate operational, logistics, and combat support unit training in a systematic way prior to employment in an operational theater. Nor has the service fully implemented an Air Force-wide program to instill an expeditionary mindset in all of its members. Until the Air Force captures its expeditionary philosophy and history in a single doctrinal source and fundamentally changes its approach to expeditionary training, Air Force people will find it difficult to embrace this new concept, and the service will fall short in its effort to institutionalize an expeditionary philosophy.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA515728
Entities
People
- Alan R. Metzler
Organizations
- Marine Corps University