The Need for Light Airlift in Future Operations

<p>The United States Military is in a process of transformation as it rises to the challenges of modern warfare. As the threat from weak and failing states surpasses that of peer competitors U.S. forces will be operating in more remote locations than ever before. Irregular wars increasingly dominate the international landscape and as a result U.S. troops are deployed not only to keep the peace but to provide humanitarian relief attempt to prevent criminal activity as well as win over the hearts and minds of the population. Already stretched thin by reductions and budget cuts this presents a strain to the current state of operations. Air mobility is the key to military success in an environment of limited resources and unknown territories. History presents several examples in which air mobility dramatically enhanced Irregular Warfare (IW) operations in these types of environments. The Air Force must improve light airlift capabilities and most importantly integrate those capabilities with the ground force.</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>