Command and Control of Special Operations Aviation: Doctrinal Challenges in a Multi-Theater Operation

摘要

Joint doctrine explains and directs the way the U.S. Armed Forces organizes, plans, prepares, and executes military operations. It also provides guidance for establishing critical command relationships across the battlefield. Over the past nine years, continuous multi-theater combat operations have exposed seams and shortcomings concerning command and control arrangements within joint doctrine. This paper highlights a critical omission in the complex world of special operations aviation command and control, and offers recommendations on how to improve existing joint doctrine to facilitate successful supporting command relationships within the geographic combatant command structure to ensure successful implementation of special operations air component forces into the joint task force commander's mission.