Behind Gates' Decision to Fire Up the Air Force

Strategy Page ^ | 6/10/08 | Austin Bay

[quadrant]

I realize the A-10 and the new Spooky gunships are marvels, but neither of those planes is an Air Force priority. In fact, the Air Force would kill both, if it could.

[river rat]

"In fact, the Air Force would kill both, if it could."

Which probably played into the decision to fire the top guys this week...

All services need to prepare for the next war, not the last war.

[BBell]

I remember the Navy was using UAV’s in the 80’s to spot targets for their Battle Ships. If the Navy were to acquire UCAV’s they would not hesitate to use them. The Navy,and congress, is what kept the cruise missile alive. The Air Force didn't like it. It sounded too much like an unmanned bomber.

[indthkr]

bump

[quadrant]

It isn't preparing for the next war that's the problem,
but how you define what that war will be. If you are the
Air Force or the Army, you want to prepare for another conventional war such as WWII or the first Gulf War.
If you believe that the next conflict will be similar to the current war in Iraq or the Somalia fiasco, then one organizes one's forces in a different manner.
Reorganizing one's forces is extremely difficult, especially for rigid institutions such as the Army and Air Force, as
it requires stepping on a lot of sensitive toes. And reorganizing involves independent, creative rethinking, and ambitious officers know that creative thinking is very dangerous to promotion prospects. Its safer to give senior officers what they want - and one thing senior generals don't want are ideas that run contrary to accepted doctrine.