Close Air Support versus Close Combat Attack
Abstract
Since the origin of flight, the military has used aircraft to support military operations. This study focuses on one aspect of that support, the use of aerial delivered munitions in close proximity to soldiers on the ground to support freedom of maneuver. Close Air Support (CAS) and Close Combat Attack (CCA) exercise direct and indirect fires from aircraft to deliver required support and generate flexibility for maneuver operations, yet the procedures are different in the achievement of these similar effects. This monograph examines the doctrinal differences between the command and control processes of CAS and CCA, and whether or not these processes could be combined to create one simplified process. Specifically, the monograph examines how the Army and the Air Force deliver fires from aircraft within close proximity to troops, and the historical and cultural factors that have shaped their current command and control processes. It is hypothesized that the operational processes currently used by the Army and the Air Force could be combined into a more streamlined process.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 06, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA570047
Entities
People
- Patrick R. Wilde
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College