Posted on 11/02/2007 1:36:49 PM PDT by DesScorp
Does the United States Air Force (USAF) fit into the post–September 11 world, a world in which the military mission of U.S. forces focuses more on counterterrorism and counterinsurgency? Not very well. Even the new counterinsurgency manual authored in part by Gen. David H. Petraeus, specifically notes that the excessive use of airpower in counterinsurgency conflict can lead to disaster.
In response, the Air Force has gone on the defensive. In September 2006, Maj. Gen. Charles Dunlap Jr. published an article in Armed Forces Journal denouncing "boots on the ground zealots," and insisting that airpower can solve the most important problems associated with counterinsurgency. The Air Force also recently published its own counterinsurgency manual elaborating on these claims. A recent op-ed by Maj. Gen. Dunlap called on the United States to "think creatively" about airpower and counterinsurgency -- and proposed striking Iranian oil facilities.
Surely, this is not the way the United States Air Force had planned to celebrate its 60th anniversary. On Sept. 18, 1947, Congress granted independence to the United States Army Air Force (USAAF), the branch of the U.S. Army that had coordinated the air campaigns against Germany and Japan.
But it's time to revisit the 1947 decision to separate the Air Force from the Army. While everyone agrees that the United States military requires air capability, it's less obvious that we need a bureaucratic entity called the United States Air Force. The independent Air Force privileges airpower to a degree unsupported by the historical record. This bureaucratic structure has proven to be a continual problem in war fighting, in procurement, and in estimates of the costs of armed conflict. Indeed, it would be wrong to say that the USAF is an idea whose time has passed. Rather, it's a mistake that never should have been made.
(Excerpt) Read more at prospect.org ...
Leave the air force alone. They earn their pay.
Yes, response time is the issue. F-16’s are like sports cars with small gas tanks. Not always practical, having to gas up so often!
Umm the airforce and navy are 60 some years better at hitting targets and have 60 years worth of new technology and techniques. Comparing what our Air does now with what it did in WW 2 or Vietnam or even Gulf War 1 is neither accurate nor fair.
I wasn’t picking on the AF. I was just saying an Artillery display can be as fun as an airshow.
Of course an Arty Btry can’t, but your plane also can’t hold terrain.
That is why it is called Combined Arms!
Good to see you around. Haven’t seen much of you here lately.
Aaahh! Thanks for the memory. Flying from a base during the Vietnam conflict that hardly had a jet engine anywhere except in the Superjollygreen helicopters, the general feeling about fast movers, was they couldn’t hit a bull in the ass with a base fiddle. That was a fair generalization from a base full of radial engine straight wing bombers and fighters.
Reality might have been a little different, but really close air support was the forte of the SAR “Search and Rescue” forces and they were really good when it counted which was always. Fast forward to today, with smart weapons that are so much more accurate than the iron bombs of yesteryear, and I’m not sure what the problem is, unless it is just perception.
Hap Arnold would be very sad.
You got that right!!!
But now days.. the airman is on the ground doing duties that can and sometimes do mean combat. I went to Air Mobility Commands, Air Mobility Warfare Center training at Ft. Dix New Jersey twice (Noble Eagle) and was introduced with basic ground combat tactics, the 2nd time I attended it was to be OPFOR for the new attendees.. both times you had to go through training.
The Department of the Air Force was established after the National Security Act of 1947 was signed. Its a presidential decision that should be allowed to stand. But if idiots followed the writers advice a fine service will be abolished.. Fortunately calmer heads will prevail.
Don’t doubt it. Hard to do for a live American audience outside of Nevada, though...
Read a history book. The Air Force was originally part of the army.
My parents told me about Mr. Common Sense early in my life and told me I would do well to call on him when making decisions. It seems he was always around in my early years but less and less as time passed by. Today I read his obituary. Please join me in a moment of silence in remembrance, for Common Sense had served us all so well for so many generations.
Obituary: Common Sense
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape. He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn’t always fair, and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer Aspirin, sun lotion or a sticky plaster to a student, but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know my Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I’m a Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. Until this BS thread was posted ........:o)
Stay safe JJ....... USAF is not going to fall victim to some freethinking presstitute or a bunch of uninformed uniformed wannabes behind desks who pretend to know WTF they are talking about as THEY SEEK TO CORNER THE USAF’s BUDGET as their OWN !
Which outfit is doing the Lord’s work preparing for the next war,
My bet is they all are. I was AF, but I recognize the value of each service and the fact that each has particular missions that are not duplicated by other branches.
The AF has the unsung refuelers whose mission of getting other aircraft to fly longer and further than their design allowed before having to land is pretty unique, and logistically a miracle.
Iraq is not a nonstop destination for aircraft unrefueled. Especially fighter aircraft. Anyone think that air refueling is going away anytime soon?
We have had some new bombers like the B-1 and B-2 but narry a new refueler since the sixties, ok maybe a few KC-10’s. Yes they put new engines on the old 135’s, which was a great idea and paying great dividends, but since the acquisition of the tanker, the force has been decreasing in numbers ever since, and I’m betting the call for AR is close to the max capability.
There are other really unique missions, like Reconaissance Hurricane Hunters, Medical Evacuation, VIP flights, Airborne Command and Control, and a host of other important and necessary roles for aircraft and crew.
Very well put.
Thanks.
Reminds me of a common sense radio personality.
I guess some people will say anything to tear down the US armed forces.
If they got rid of the Chair Force, nobody would get cable or air conditioning in the field.
The USAF will soon be bombing dozens of Iranian nuke sites and shooting down any fighter jets the enemy has the nerve to send airborne. That's sexy enough.
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