Counterair and Counterland: Concepts for the 21st Century
Abstract
The latter decades of the 20th century featured AirLand Battle as the U.S. military's focus; no such coherent approach exists in the new century. But the time has come for fresh concepts integrating interdependent air and ground forces on the battlefields of the 21st century. Such is the purpose of AirLandBattle21. The intent of this article is to isolate and analyze the interaction between the Army and Air Force in the context of medium- to large-scale conventional war. While certainly relevant to 21st-century conflict, this study does not discuss space and information operations in an explicit manner. Focused squarely on these two Services, AirLandBattle21 will not specifically address the Navy or Marine Corps in any substantive way. Finally, AirLandBattle21 will not offer a panacea or a "one-size-fits-all" approach to future wars. It is unlikely that every idea herein would perfectly fit any particular future operation. Future planners, however, may find the menu of options appetizing. Armed with only general ideas from joint doctrine and the dated concepts of the last century, these planners would otherwise feel compelled to start from scratch. Instead, this article offers an initial conceptual framework far more compatible with conflict in the changed strategic environment of the 21st century.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2008
- Accession Number
- ADA518177
Entities
People
- Ellwood P. Hinman Iv
Organizations
- National Defense University