Airpower Afghanistan and the Future of Warfare

The author argues that the 20th-century argument between air and ground proponents has changed significantly since the Gulf War and that it comes down to the relative importance of the ground or air in the mix. It is more than just using air as a supporting component to the ground forces-if this is true current force organization and employment are adequate. However if the air predominates in combat operations then as Wills puts it in his first chapter joint-operations doctrine needs to be rethought. A changed balance will affect the military at every level . . . force structure organization weapons acquisition doctrine and training. (Colonel Wills was the operations officer of the 493d Fighter Squadron Grim Reapers at Royal Air Force Lakenheath United Kingdom. Originally published by Air University Press.)