What Will Douhet Think of Next? An Analysis of the Impact of Stealth Technology on the Evolution of Strategic Bombing Doctrine

<p>This paper analyzes the evolution of strategic bombing doctrine in order to identify the basic doctrinal tenets and then evaluate their compatibility with emerging stealth technologies. Current doctrine is an evolution of existing doctrine theory and experience. Therefore to comprehend fully the meaning of doctrine it is necessary to trace its lineage. As airpower arrived only recently in the doctrinal arena no previous doctrine existed. Therefore this analysis begins with the early airpower theories which provided the roots of evolution. Giulio Douhet is the most famous of the early theorists and his work provided a basis upon which to build. Following World War II (WWII) Bernard Brodie modified Douhet's theory to incorporate atomic weapons and the experience to date. As theory evolved so did early Air Corps unsanctioned doctrine. Despite a lack of approval at the Department of the Army the Air Corps Tactical School developed and taught strategic bombing concepts which later provided the basis of WWII aerial planning and execution. The Korean and Vietnamese conflicts provided impetus for slow and gradual change to the basic tenets of strategic bombing doctrine. The USAF reinforced the validity of these basic tenets when it promulgated the 1992 version of Basic Aerospace Doctrine. By testing each tenet against the demands of emerging stealth technologies the paper finds that existing doctrine is basically sound but incomplete. Therefore the paper proposes and tests additional tenets to accommodate stealth and the increasing rate of technical advancement.</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>