OS 503 - OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE: THE AIR FORCE

LESSON OBJECTIVES:

503.1 Comprehend the capabilities and limitations of us military forces

503.11 Describe the roles, missions and core competencies of the Air Force

Air Force ROLES AND MISSIONS:

1. AEROSPACE CONTROL - missions designed to gain and maintain control of the combat air environment - both offensive and defensively. Typical missions used to gain control are (1) Counterair and (2) Counterspace

2. FORCE APPLICATION - the application of combat power against surface targets exclusive of aerospace control.

• STRATEGIC ATTACK (SA) - an offensive airpower force application mission directed against enemy "centers of gravity" which, if successful, has broad, long term effects on the entire enemy war effort. Its defined by the objective not by the weapon system employed, munitions used, or target location. SA is aimed at destroying or neutralizing an enemy's war-sustaing capability or will to fight. The efficiency of the attack is greatly enhanced by precision weaponry and should be persistent and coordinated. Typical targets include: command elements, war production assets and supporting infrastructure, factories, energy sources, transportation , communications and food sources. It is important to understand war as a conflict of minds as well as forces, strategic attack strives to defeat enemies plans as well as military.
• AIR INTERDICTION (AI) - Interdiction is by design a mission to weaken enemy strength by reducing the flow of critical resources and/or combat forces before they can be brought to bear effectively against friendly forces. Interdiction is accomplished by delaying arrival of specific supplies or units, disrupting lines of communication causing confusion and inefficiencies, or destroying supplies or combat foresees enroute to the front lines. Platform (aircraft type) used to perform this mission is irrelevant. Targets include vehicles for combat (tanks, APV's weapons/guns) AI is most effective when the enemies ground forces have urgent requirements for movement for deployment or supply.
• CLOSE AIR SUPPORT (CAS) - The objectives of close air support are to support surface operations by attacking hostile targets in close proximity to friendly surface forces. CAS can support offensive, counteroffensive and defensive surface force operation with preplanned or immediate attacks. All preplanned and immediate CAS missions require detailed coordination and integration with the fire and maneuver plans of friendly surface forces. CAS support missions require access to the battlefield, timely intelligence information and accurate weapons delivery.
  

3. FORCE ENHANCEMENT - Missions to include:

• Airlift - enabling concentration of combat power rapidly at any spot on the globe. There are 2 forms of airlift: Strategic and Theater. (1) Strategic is the ability to employ and deploy forces and reinforce those forces almost anywhere on the globe. There are 2 forms of strategic airlift: Insert forces directly into a theater and/or a hostile situation and deployment/ redeployment with not suppression support required. Theater (tactical) has the capability to move and sustain in-theater forces unhindered by topography
• Air refueling - gives flexibility of airpower, and allows for intercontinental strategic airlift and strategic attack operations without the use of forward air bases. Air refuelable aircraft can increase payload without sacrificing range.
• Spacelift - space is a natural extension of the air. There are 3 views of space operation:
  • Offer enormous military advantages to air and surface forces and inversely, the inability to conduct space operations can pose significant problems for those forces.
  • Important military assets have operated in space almost from the beginning of the space age.
  • American military forces have come to rely on space-based systems for instantaneous worldwide communications, constant surveillance and early warning, accurate weather forecasting and precise navigation. Failure of these systems would seriously degrade US operating capabilities and provide any opponent who retained such capabilities an enormous advantage.
• Electronic Combat - The modem warfare. military operations against the enemy's electromagnetic capabilities, by neutralizing or destroying the enemy's capabilities. It includes Electronic Warfare (EW) Suppression OF Enemy Defenses (Sead) and Command, Control, (C2), Control and Communications Countermeasures (C4)
• Surveillance & Reconnaissance - An indispensable part of deterrence and military operations for both tactical and strategic level. The most valuable use of airpower and the backbone of intelligence operation in both peace and war. Surveillance of enemy forces and supporting infrastructures to obtain focused intelligence throughout follow-up reconnaissance. It allows our forces to be more capable and less vulnerable.
• Special Operations involves conventional warfare, direct action, special reconnaissance, or counterterrosim missions.
  

4. FORCE SUPPORT - to sustain air operations and forces; must sustain operations if aerospace forces are to be successful. - missions are:

• Base Operability and Defense - defend installations from attack, help aerospace forces survive such attacks, and return installations to full capability after attacks.
• Logistics - creates and sustains aerospace forces.
• Combat Support - provides essential services to aerospace organizations and their personnel in operational conditions.
• On-Orbit Support - keeps platforms in space operating for effectively and efficiently as possible.

CORE COMPETENCIES of the Air Force: (from: Global Engagement reading) What we bring to the fight.

1. Air & Space Superiority - it prevents adversaries from interfering with operations of air, space or surface forces, and assures freedom of action and movement. The control of air and space is a critical enable for the Joint Force because it allows all U.S. forces freedom from attack and freedom to attack. With Air and Space Superiority, the Joint Force can dominate enemy operation in all dimensions - land, sea, air and space

2. Global Attack - The ability of the AF to attack rapidly anywhere on the globe at any time is unique. The military utility of air power, particularly its speed, range and flexibility prompted creation of the AF as a separate Service following WWII. AF power projection and presence capabilities today are a complementary mix of long-range and theater aircraft, based in the us and forward-based. Currently, the AF is increasing the role of expeditionary forces to maintain its global engagement capability. In the future, capabilities based in the CONUS will likely become the primary means for crisis response and power projection as long-range air and space based assets increasingly fill the requirements of the Global Attack core competency.

3. Rapid Global Mobility - provides the nation its global reach and underpins its role as a global power. The ability to more rapidly to any spot on the globe ensures that tomorrow the nation can respond quickly and decisively to unexpected challenges to its interests.

4. Precision Engagement - "that which enables our forces to locate the objective or target, provide responsive command and control, generate the desired effect, assess our level of success, and retain the flexibility to reengage with precision when required." Ability to apply selective force against specific targets and achieve discrete and discriminate objectives; reliable precision with desired effect, but with minimal risk and collateral damage.

5. Information Superiority - The ability to collect, control, exploit and defend information, while denying an adversary the ability to do the same. The ability of the future Joint Team to achieve dominant battlefield awareness will depend heavily on the ability of the AF's air and space based assets to provide global awareness, intelligence, communication, weather and navigation support. Information Operations, and Information Warfare (IW) will grow in importance in the 21st century.

6. Agile Combat Support - ACS plays a central role in enabling air and space power to contribute to the objectives of a Joint Force Commander. Effective combat support operations allow combat commanders to improve the responsiveness, deployability and sustain ability of their forces.

503.12 Identify which USAF weapons systems are capable of performing designed roles and missions.

The four roles and typical missions of aerospace power:

*503.13 Explain the importance of incorporating aerospace tenents in the employment of air power

Air power when applied in conjunction with the tenets of air power is an enabling force that provides the joint force commander with a variety of options for attainment of objectives.(Air power 1 Powerpoint)

*503.14 Explain how to properly employ selected USAF weapons systems in an air campaign

*503.15 Give examples of the AF's core competencies

1. Air & Space Superiority - Air Superiority is the great enabler with it, anything is possible without it nothing is possible
2. Global Attack capitalizes on several advantages of airpower::
   • Air power is inherently an Offensive force it takes the attack to the enemy
   • Rather than brute force on force, it uses Economy of force absolutely critical in this day of reduced force structure and a changing world
   • It Balances the needs to destroy the target while preserving the force. (a tenet of air and space power focusing on target destruction vs. force survival)
   • Rapidly-deployable, Air Expeditionary Force (AEF) can be tailored to meet needs of JFC for both traditional and non-traditional applications
3. Rapid Global Mobility
   • Berlin Airlift was exceeded by the Desert Shield-Desert Storm airlift which has been equated to moving Oklahoma City in its entirety 7500 miles to Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries
   • The ability to prosecute Desert Storm depended upon Rapid Global Mobility.
4. Precision Engagement -
   • Joint Vision 2010 defines Precision Engagement as the capability "that enables our forces to locate the objective or target, provide responsive command and control, generate the desired effect, assess our level of success, and retain the flexibility to re-engage with precision when required.
   • Think beyond simple weapons of destruction.... precision engagement could include insertion of SOF forces, or delivering food.....day or night, and all kinds of weather.
   • Thus, the Air force has the ability to apply selective force, use stealth to its advantage against specific targets and achieve discrete and discriminate effects.
5. Information Superiority
   • Information superiority was the first core mission of the Air Force.
   • Accomplished with a limited extent with balloons in the 19th century, surveillance and reconnaissance (the gathering of information on the enemy) was codified in the first World War.
   • The Air Force will develop and field offensive information warfare capabilities to conduct and support Air Force missions by denying, degrading, or reshaping the information available to an adversary.
   • "New information warfare squadrons will be responsible to the JFACC for coordinating everything having to do with information--how we collect, process, and disseminate it, how we defend it, and how we attack the enemy's capabilities." -Gen Fogleman
6. Agile Combat Support -
   • How we sustain forces we deploy is as critical as what we deploy, and how we get there

503.2 Comprehend the relationship between Service Doctrine and Joint Doctrine:

503.21 Discuss the doctrinal underpinnings of AF thought or "Airmindedness"

Doctrine provides the framework for understanding how to apply military power. It is how the AF has evolved in its thinking on the best way to do a job. It is based on experience. Doctrine is a broad conceptual basis for our understanding of war, human nature and aerospace power. It provides a guide for the exercise of professional judgment rather than a set of rules to be followed blindly. It is what we hold true in reference to our job, our profession and our service. From this stems "Airmindedness" which gives the AF the foundation or backbone in formulating its policies and ideologies. It contributes to the operational art of orchestrating aerospace forces. Airmindedness is the perspective that the airmen brings to the Joint Force Team. It reflects the range, speed and capabilities of aerospace forces as well as threats and survival imperatives unique to airmen. The perspective and interpretation an airmen may draw from the principles of war are an example.

PRINCIPLES OF WAR

Objective. Direct military operations toward a defined and attainable objective that contributes to strategic, operational, or tactical aims.
Offensive. Act rather than react and dictate the time, place, purpose, scope, intensity, and pace of operations. The initiative must be seized, retained, and fully exploited.
Mass. Concentrate combat power at the decisive time and place. Economy of Force. Create usable mass by using minimum combat power on secondary objectives. Make the fullest use of all forces available.
Maneuver. Place the enemy in a position of disadvantage through the flexible application of combat power. Unity of Command. Ensure unity of effort for every objective under one responsible commander.
Security. Protect friendly forces and their operations from enemy actions which could provide the enemy with unexpected advantage.
Surprise. Strike the enemy at a time or place or in a manner for which he is unprepared.
Simplicity. Avoid unnecessary complexity in preparing, planning, and con-ducting military operations.

503.22 Describe the tenents of aerospace power.

Tenents of Aerospace Power: These are the guidelines on how to achieve military objectives. They are an addendum to the principles of was. The tenents describe how aerospace power can be used to achieve military objectives. They highlight important differences between aerospace and surface forces.

1. Centralized Control - Decentralized Execution - The "master" tenent. Aerospace forces should be centrally controlled by an airman to achieve advantageous synergy's, establish effective priorities, capitalize on unique strategic and operational flexibility, ensure unity of purpose, and minimize the potential for conflicting objectives. Execution of aerospace missions should be decentralized to achieve effective spans of control, responsiveness and tactical flexibility.
2. Flexibility - Versatility - The unique flexibility and versatility of aerospace power should be fully used and not compromised. The ability to concentrate force anywhere and attack any facet of the enemy's power is the outstanding strength of aerospace power.
3. Priority - Effective priorities for the use of aerospace forces flow from an informed dialogue between the joint or combined commander. The air commander should assess the possible uses of limited aerospace forces and to their importance to (1) the was (2) the campaign the battle. Air commanders should be alert for the potential diversion of missions of marginal importance.
4. Synergy - Internally, the missions of aerospace power, when applied in comprehensive and mutually supportive air campaigns, produce effects well beyond the proportion of each mission's individual contribution to the campaign. Externally, aerospace operations can be applied in coordinated joint campaigns with surface forces, either to enhance or be enhanced by surface forces.
5. Balance - The air commander should balance combat opportunity, necessity, effectiveness, and efficiency against the associated risk to friendly aerospace resources. Technologically sophisticated aerospace assets are not available in vast numbers and cannot be produced quickly. There should always be consideration of balance of payoff and risk of target selection.
6. Concentration - Aerospace power is most effective when it is focused in purpose and not needlessly dispersed. Concentrated, overwhelming over-use of air power should shock the enemy and make a difference at the battlefront.
7. Persistence - Aerospace power should be applied persistently. Destroyed targets may be rebuilt by resourceful enemies. Air commanders should plan for restricts against important targets. Target selection should be such that it is vitally important to the enemy, and needs to be rebuilt or replaced to continue the conflict.
   

503.23 Describe the history, importance and role of the Joint Forces Air Component Cdr.

The history of the JFACC reaches back to WW I when Gen Billy Mitchell recognized the need for centralized control of offensive air operations. During WW II in North Africa, the British troops were significantly outnumbers. The American air power was split between the AAF and support air power. Gen Spaatz, the German ground force commander, centralized control of the American air power, which lead to a swift victory. During the Korean War, there was poor cooperation between the services and a lack of a unified and integrated air campaign plan, which resulted in incoherent operation . The land and air campaign plan lacked coordination. Then came Vietnam. Each service brought a different lesson out of Korea and concentrated on its own air asset and missions. Each service controlled their own air arms. A disaster from the beginning. But then in Desert Storm, a JFACC was assigned the responsibility to coordinate interdiction efforts of all components and authority to require consultation among components. The operations order and master attack plan had a clear set of objectives. The success of the air campaign was due to the synchronizing theater air assets with a single ATO. Unity of the air effort with a unified air campaign was effective and preserved coalition unity and boosted our coalition partners' confidence and support.

503.24 Explain the Air Force's role in the Joint battle.

503.3 Mobilization issues impacting the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command.

503.31 Summarize the variety of roles and missions that the Reserve components are performing in today's changing world.

109,000 Air National Guardsmen, ALL 54 States, Territories and DC and 74,000 Air Force Reservists, 10,000 IMA-Individual Mobilization Augmentees)

Air National Guard:

• State Missions; Protect life and property-disaster assistance, MOOTW Military Operations Other Than War, Maintain peace and order, Counter drug, and Humanitarian efforts. Governor is the Commander in Chief
• Federal Missions; Aerospace control, Counterair, Offensive and Defensive Counterair, Force Application-Strategic Attack, Interdiction, Close Air Support, Force Enhancement-Airlift, Air Refueling, Special Ops, Force Support- Civil Engineers, Communications, Air Traffic Control, Weather. Governor still Commander in Chief, UNLESS activated, or mobilized and on Title 10 orders, then the President is Commander in Chief.
  
• Roles of Air National Guard; 100% of interceptors; 23% of TAC Air Support; 43% of TAC Airlift, 30% of Rescue, 10% of Strategic Air, 23% of Air refueling, 10% Bombers. Other Support: Air Defense, RED HORSE, CE, Bands, WX, Security Forces Headed by Major General Don Shepperd (Soon to be BG Paul Weaver)

Air Force Reserve Command: No State Mission, Direct support to the Air Force, mostly in the of Airlift (C-130, C-17, C-141) and Tankers, (KC-10), and Fighters (F-16 and A-10) Mission Support in the Areas of Aerial Port, CE, WX, IN, SF, Headed by Major General Bob McIntosh

503.32 Explain the mobilization issues impacting the Air Reserve Components today.

• Presidential call-up, although sometimes necessary, in the AIR components have for the most part been met by 100% volunteers, such as Haiti and similar contingencies.
• Law has now changed to allow the President to call-up Selective Reserve units from 90 days to 270 days, and place them on Title 10 Active Duty. (up to 200,000 reservists)
• Long term contingencies requiring call-up can devastate and disrupt reservists who frequently accept less money in military jobs than their civilian jobs. (Thus, Congressional Legislation now provides an insurance program that helps make up the difference in military and civilian salaries, during a call-up.)
• 'Ideal' activation's are for 15 days, during which a reserve component member can deploy to a contingency on a rotational basis, thus allowing the UNIT to stay for 180 days or longer, but the individual, does a quick rotation and the deployment is shared by many reserve component units.
• OPTEMPO and PERSTEMPO in the ANG and AFRC are equal to or in some cases greater than that of sister Regular Air Force units. This is a strain on the 'citizen soldier' concept, and thus no longer makes it appealing for Regular Air Force personnel to switch to the Guard or Reserve, to avoid the high OPSTEMPO.

503.33 Given a situation, describe the mobilization levels available to the President when Reserve Forces are needed.

Mobilization (For the complete idiot)

1. STOP LOSS- Exists in the individual Services today, and allows the Service to deny the individual the opportunity to separate from the service.
2. SELECTIVE MOBILIZATION- Allows the President to call-up Reservists (in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserves-or other reserve components) for up to 15 days, and place them on Title 10 Active Duty.
3. PRESIDENTIAL SELECTIVE RESERVE CALL-UP-(PSRC)- Allows the President to call up reservists (ANG and AFRC) and IMA's to Title 10, Active Duty, 200,000 members for up to 270 days.
4. PARTIAL MOBILIZATION- President and Congress may call-up the Ready Reserve (of which the ANG and AFRC are a part), 1,000,000 members for up to two years.
5. FULL MOBILIZATION- President and Congress can call-up ALL of the Ready Reserves to include Retired Reserve, Standby Reserve, Retired Regular Service members, for the period of the war and up to six months beyond the end of the war.
6. TOTAL MOBILIZATION- President and Congress can call-up all of the forces listed above AND now through statues, direct and take over civil businesses, factories and industrial capabilities. (WW I, WW II.)

The above describes the Main Point, that the military is moving from a 70% active and 30% reserve force, to a 50% active and 50% reserve force. The post cold war nation is moving toward a more militia based nation in a world that even though is at peace is still a dangerous place. The Reserve Components offer a full and wide variety of support, especially in the ANG and AFRC. First line equipment, inspected just like the Active Duty counterparts, supporting world-wide commitments, with OPTEMPO rates just as high as Active Duty. Thus, in times of contingencies and crisis, the President must carefully consider the level of reserve participation to handle the situation driven call-up he selects.

Factoids: The Air Guard (109,000) is part of the National Guard (400,000). The Air Guard has 88 flying units, the only thing the Air Guard does not fly is the B-2 and C-17, ...yet. Political point: The Air Force no longer has a presence in many large population states of the NE or Upper Midwest. Remember, when you abandon America, America will abandon you. You can trace the lack of political support for things that are important to the Air Force directly to those states where the Air Force is not located. However the Air Guard IS located in all 54 States, territories and District of Columbia. The Guard Structure is 75% part time and 25% full time technicians or AGR. In the Air Guard, about 5,000 are TDY in any one month, out of 109,000. But the Active Duty Air Force is 400,000 people and has about 9,000 people TDY. Average Aircrew is spending 110 to 120 days a year supporting missions and training. Reserves, in the last five years have been involved in 28 major operations. The Air Force Reserve Command is 74,000 strong. Reserves also fly front line aircraft and have upgraded to night fighting capabilities with the Regular Air Force in A-10's, F-16's, C-130's and HH-60's. The Air Force Reserve has the same concerns about OPTEMPO that the Regular Air Force and the Air National Guard has. In 1995, on any given day there were 1000 Air Force Reserve personnel deployed.

Sample Questions:
1. If the President of the United States was suddenly faced with a second regional crisis, under the 2MRC doctrine he would:

a. Immediately institute a Presidential Call-up (PSRC) utilizing IMA's for 270 days.
b. With the concurrence of Congress institute a Partial Mobilization of the Ready Reserve for up to two years.
c. If the conflict was serious enough he could implement a full and total mobilization, and on his own authority keep reservists on Active Duty for six months after the conflict.
d. The call-up matrix would be used on the advice of the JCS and would be situation dependent.
e. The President could use either B or C only.

2. In the specific case of an Air National Guard Reserve Component Member:

a. His Commander in Chief is the Governor of the State of his membership.
b. Her Commander in Chief is always the President of the United States, after all that is who the oath of office swears to uphold as the Commander in Chief.
c. The Guardmember's Commander in Chief is dependent on whether he or she is on Title 10 Active Duty Status.
d. Guardmembers called up in a full or total Mobilization in time of War, can not be kept on Active Duty beyond the period of the war.
e. C and D

READING RATIONALE

AFM 1-1, Chapters 2 through 4, outlines the enduring notions of airpower; describes the nature of aerospace power, and highlights the relationships among the aerospace environment, roles and missions, and the tenets of airpower. Chapter Two focuses on aerospace forces and operational art, and introduces Billy Mitchell's idea of "airmindedness" or what it means to think as an airman. The Air Force toolbook provides the foundational information about the roles, missions, structure and doctrine of the Air Force. The Global Enlargement paper describes the Air Force's vision for the 21st century and outlines the Air Force core competencies.

The next five readings highlight the issues and concerns of air campaigns. The JFACC Primer reflects the latest doctrine on how to best organize, plan, and execute joint air operations. The remaining four articles provide information on air power employment and serve as the basis for discussion of current air power issues.

The USAFR toolbook defines and provides current information regarding the AF Reserve mobilization process. The Air National Guard Toolbook describes the Guard and charts the different Reserve mobilization levels available to the National Command Authority to implement in response to a US domestic or national emergency. The Shepperd reading is a transcript from the Air National Guard Director's briefing on the Guard's mission, structure, and issues.

LESSON OUTLINE

Thesis: US Air Forces provide the National Command Authority and theater commanders with unique capabilities the Air Force describes as "core competencies." Full understanding of the roles, missions, capabilities and limitations, doctrine, and strategies of the US Air Force is essential to the joint staff operational and campaign planners in responding to regional crises that arise around the world.

Main Point I: Review and discuss the roles, missions, organizations, capabilities and limitations, strategies, and doctrine used by the US Air Force in support of the National Security Strategy, National Military Strategy, and theater commanders.

Main Point II: The tenets of air power provide a guide for the most effective employment of air power assets. Understanding these tenets and the capabilities of assigned air power assets is necessary to properly execute USAF roles and missions and support the CINC's overall theater strategy. The JFACC provides centralized control of theater air power assets.

Main Point III: Due to a steady increase in Reserve force utilization, it is essential to understand the Reserve components' mobilization process and the unique issues associated with Reserve mobilization. Today's Reserve forces have a multitude of roles and missions in response to diverse post-cold war taskings. There are a variety of mobilization levels available to the President when Reserve component forces are needed. Selecting a mobilization level is situation dependent.

LESSON INTEGRATION AND RATIONALE

This lesson presents the basic elements of the roles and missions, strategy, doctrine, and force structure used by the US Air Force to execute of the National Security Strategy and National Military Strategy and objectives. Additionally, this block of instruction sets the foundation for understanding the US Air Force's role in joint military operations and planning. Concepts and knowledge gained in this lesson will be applied in the Air Campaign, Joint Operations, and Force 2025 courses as well as in the Joint Warrior Wargame.