From Whack-a-Mole to Three-dimensional Chess

<p>Beyond their battlefield effects improvised explosive devices (IEDs) are weapons of strategic influence which directly affect the US-led coalition's strategic center of gravity--its collective will to continue to continue the conflict. This asymmetric capability mitigates the overwhelming mismatch between insurgent and coalition forces and casts victory in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) into serious doubt which begs the question: Given airpower is its primary asymmetric advantage in the OCO environment how can the US leverage it most effectively to counter the comprehensive IED threat? Accordingly this essay seeks to provide an answer with a counter-IED (C-IED) operational design and innovative airpower roles and missions--re-aligned ISR extensively integrated information operations (IO) and precision attack and engagement with the population--to defeat the comprehensive IED threat within the broader aims of OCO. The entire IED threat is examined to provide a foundation for the new operational design. Subsequently a re-focused C-IED end state and COGs are nominated and further broken down into critical vulnerabilities and lines of operation. Corresponding roles and missions for airpower are then examined in depth and condensed into a recommended way ahead to win the C-IED fight at last.</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>