The NATO SOF Air Wing: A Basing Decision
Abstract
There is a critical shortfall in special operations aviation support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) special operations forces (SOF). One way this shortfall can be addressed is through the procurement and sustainment of the NATO SOF Air Wing (NSAW) under NATO Special Operations Forces Headquarters (NSHQ). NSHQ coordinates, trains, and employs NATO's special operations forces. With the addition of organic SOF aviation forces, NATO's ground forces capabilities and mission success will be enhanced. This thesis focuses on the basing recommendations for the NATO SOF Air Wing. Decision making for basing location of the NATO SOF Air Wing has centered on proximity to NSHQ in Mons, Belgium, and minimized other important considerations such as runway requirements, tarmac space, supporting infrastructure, weather, and proximity to training. A location decision is a complex endeavor -- one that has long-term impact and requires systematic analysis to find an effective and efficient solution. This thesis follows previous military efforts that utilized business sector applications to improve the decision making process. Specifically, it applies the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) to the NATO SOF Air Wing basing decision to provide an effective and efficient recommendation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA574072
Entities
People
- James M. Cox
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School