Fire in the City

<p>This study examines the roles and missions of airpower in urban operations in smaller-scale contingencies. Urban operations often referred to as military operations on urbanized terrain (MOUT) are some of the most complex and difficult missions currently facing the US military. Smaller-scale contingencies introduce the challenge of significant political constraints and an increasing intolerance for casualties and collateral damage. To capture the difficulty of urban combat the study concentrates on cases where combat operations were either conducted or planned. The study examines five cases in which airpower including land and carrier based aircraft as well as helicopters was involved. The cases include the battle for Hue during the Vietnam War the Israeli siege of Beirut in Lebanon Operation Just Cause the US invasion of Panama UNISOM II in Somalia and Operation Uphold Democracy in Haiti. Mobility in the form of strategic airlift and helicopter mobility was generally the most important airpower contribution to urban smaller-scale contingencies.</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>