Close Air Support for Counterinsurgency

<p>This research paper will explore the best aircraft design features for close air support (CAS) for counterinsurgencies (COIN) particularly with respect to the current COIN efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. There is nostalgia for simple small low slow aircraft for COIN operations. Books and movies such as Flight of the Intruder1 and Saving Private Ryan2 have popularized the notion of A-1 Skyraiders or P-51 Mustangs swooping in at the last moment guns blazing and dropping bombs or napalm to save American soldiers just in the nick of time. The A-10 Thunderbolt II is a favorite among ground troops for its tank-killing 30mm Gatling gun and the ability to turn tightly directly above troops. Recent papers have proposed basing a future USAF COIN aircraft on a crop duster3 and the T-6A Texan II.</p><p>This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore you will see the original copyright references library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world) and other notations in the work.</p><p>This work is in the public domain in the United States of America and possibly other nations. Within the United States you may freely copy and distribute this work as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.</p><p>As a reproduction of a historical artifact this work may contain missing or blurred pages poor pictures errant marks etc. Scholars believe and we concur that this work is important enough to be preserved reproduced and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.</p><br>