Will Close Air Support be Where Needed and When to Support Objective Force Operations in 2015?

<p>The United States Army recently released a white paper on Concepts for the Objective Force. This force will be capable of simultaneous engagement by air-ground maneuver elements at operational and tactical distances by employing future advanced lift reconnaissance and attack aviation supported by both joint fires and suppression of enemy air defenses. The battles engagements and major operations of 2015 are expected to occur on non-linear battlefields with friendly forces involved in widely dispersed non-contiguous unit operations. The Objective Force concept is highly dependent on airpower (both transport and attack) to successfully conduct these non-linear and non-contiguous operations. Current airpower doctrine though is based on a linear battlefield with close deep and rear areas. Will this disconnect result in airpower not being where and when it's needed on the battlefield of 2015? This monograph specifically examines the history current doctrine and emerging concepts on how Close Air Support (CAS) is defined employed and controlled to determine if CAS will be where it's needed and when to facilitate effective Objective Force operations in 2015. The answer to this question is no unless the definition doctrine and integration of CAS with the ground component scheme of maneuver is improved. To arrive at this conclusion the monograph first conducts a detailed examination of the history of CAS during the Korean War Vietnam Conflict and Desert Storm to discover why CAS doctrine has developed along the lines that it has. This endeavor is an attempt to discover the potential implications for CAS doctrine development in the future. Second the adequacy/ suitability of current CAS doctrine is examined by conducting a comparison of Army Air Force and joint doctrines to discover potential doctrinal disconnects that may exist. Finally the feasibility of developing and implementing a joint CAS doctrine by 2015 that recommends an increase in the integr</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>