Out of the Closet: Counterinsurgency Doctrine for the USAF (United States Air Force)

摘要

A study of historical examples of the use of air power in counterinsurgency warfare in order to derive principles, mission types, and aircraft characteristics to serve as the basis of a counterinsurgency doctrine for the USAF. In the view of the author, insurgencies in allied countries continue to be a problem with which the U.S. must contend. The use of air power has been an important factor in counterinsurgency warfare since the first example of its use in the Mexican expedition in 1916. The subject of counterinsurgency has been kept in the closet or not discussed since the Vietnam war. USAF doctrine for counterinsurgency is out of date and with the renewed attention brought on by the failure of the Iran rescue mission, it is in need of review and revision. The author contends that the subject of counterinsurgency should come out of the closet and be discussed in the open to develop a USAF doctrine for the conduct of counterinsurgency type operations. (FR)