Considerations in Working With Partner Air Forces - Context and Culture

Abstract

Understanding environmental context and how to affect organizational culture is critical to effective security forces assistance (SFA), especially when working with host nation air forces. The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan have highlighted the need for a robust SFA effort. A critical and integral component is building an effective air force capable of meeting the immediate needs of the counterinsurgency effort and long term security interests of the country. In Iraq, then Brig Gen Robert Allardice, serving as the Coalition Air Force Transition Team Commander, proposed and implemented a counterintuitive approach to rebuilding the Iraqi Air Force which was to "get them in the air" first, as a priority ahead of building capability and capacity. Understanding unique air force capabilities, the environmental context of a counterinsurgency, and the cultural components of air force organizations shows this counterintuitive approach is an effective methodology both in the near term and long term.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2010
Accession Number
ADA519920

Entities

People

  • John T. Cairney

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • C4I
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Aircrafts
  • Asymmetric Warfare
  • Command And Control
  • Doctrine
  • Education
  • Governments
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Security
  • Training
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Aerospace Research.
  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.
  • Systems Analysis and Design