Preparing for the Long War: Transformation of UAVS in Force Structure Planning for Joint Close Air Support Operations

摘要

As the U. S. military is deeply engaged in the Global War on Terrorism, it must face the challenges of juggling transformation and combat operations around the globe. Special care must be given to satisfy the requirements of the combatant commander during a time of war and the long term requirement to maintain a credible military force capable of executing a major theater war in support of the U. S. National Security Strategy. The forces are stretched thin and equipment is starting to wear out. The nation's combat aircraft are older than they've even been in the past and new aircraft are not being developed and procured fast enough to replace the aging fleet. If current operations remain at their current levels, the nation could face an airpower capability shortfall if a scenario developed that required a major air operation in a combatant commander's overall campaign. The development and use of unmanned aerial vehicles must be carefully considered.