Effective Air Interdiction in Peace Enforcement

<p>The United States Air Force has become increasingly involved in peace enforcement missions throughout the world since the end of the Cold War. Recent examples include Operations Allied Force and Deliberate Force in the Balkans and Operations Northern Watch and Southern Watch in Iraq. While monitoring no-fly zones is the most obvious mission assigned to air forces conducting peace enforcement operations it is not the only way in which airpower contributes. Other missions include enforcement of sanctions and exclusion zones protection of shipping strikes and raids and shows of force. In order to perform these missions the basic U.S. Air Force combat functions must be adapted to fit the unique environment of the peace enforcement operation. Although peace enforcement missions may differ considerably from traditional combat United States Air Force doctrine provides only broad guidance on how basic functions apply to peace enforcement. U.S. Air Force Doctrine Document 2-3 Military Operations Other Than War states that Air Force units support peace enforcement with traditional air-to-air and air-to-ground operations but does not describe how these operations are conducted or integrated with the joint force. Instead the U.S. Air Force believes that normal operational doctrine provides sufficient guidance to accomplish these missions. This monograph challenges the claim that normal U.S. Air Force operational doctrine provides an acceptable basis for peace enforcement. Specifically the monograph determines whether current U.S. Air Force doctrine promotes effective air interdiction in a peace enforcement operation using a division-sized land component as a model. The author has determined three criteria for effective air interdiction in peace enforcement operations: unity of effort responsiveness and flexibility. These criteria provide a lens through which to examine the suitability of current doctrine to the challenge of providing effective air interdiction t</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>