AFSTUDY – Flashcard

Know the key terms and definitions used to describe air and space power. Know the events, leaders, and technical developments that surrounded the evolution and employment of air and space power. Demonstrate the basic verbal and written communication skills necessary as an officer candidate.

Course is designed to examine general aspects of air and space power from a historical viewpoint. The course covers from the beginnings of flight to current day technology.

Wear uniforms to class and call the class to attention when an officer enters. No smoking or eating while in class, but small snacks and drinks are allowed.

The grades will be based on a briefing with a talking paper, two exams, and class participation.

900-1000 A 870-899 AB 800-869 B 770-799 BC 700-769 C 670-699 CD 600-669 D <600 F Cadets must earn a C or higher to pass the class.

Air and space power is the synergistic application of air, space, and information systems to project global strategic military power. A synergistic application combines the actions of two or more forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of the their individual effects.

• Developing Airmen: The ultimate source of combat ability is the men and women of the Air Force. The service's abilities stem from the collective abilities of its personnel; the abilities of its people stem from a career-long focus on developing professional Airmen. • Technology-to-war Fighting: The Air Force nurtures its ability to translate its technology into operational ability—to prevail in conflict and avert technological surprise. • Integration operations: Effectively integrating the diverse abilities found in all four service branches remains pivotal to joint war fighting. The Air Force contributes to this objective as each element of air and space power brings unique and successful abilities to the joint force.

Air and space doctrine is a statement of officially sanctioned beliefs, war-fighting principles, and terminology that describes and guided the proper use of air and space forces in military operations.

• Unity of command: Concentration of every effort for every objective under on responsible commander, who directs and coordinates all efforts toward a common objective. • Objective: Belief that political and military goals should complement each other and be clearly stated, involving directing military operations toward a defined and attainable objective that contributes to strategic, operational, and tactical aims. • Offensive: Seize, retain, and exploit the initiative. • Mass: Concentrate combat power at the most advantageous place and time to achieve decisive results. • Maneuver: Puts enemy at a disadvantage through the flexible application of airpower. • Economy of force: The judicious employment and distribution of forces. • Security: Never let the enemy gain an unexpected advantage. Gaining and maintaining control of the air, space, and information media gives friendly forces a significant advantage. • Surprise: Attacking enemy forces as a time, place, or in a manner for which they are not prepared. • Simplicity: Calls for avoiding unnecessary complexity in organizing, planning, and conducting military operations.

• Centralized control and decentralized execution: Very critical to the effectiveness of air and space power. Centralized control is the planning, direction, prioritization, synchronization, and integration of air and space abilities to achieve the joint force commander's objectives. Decentralized execution is delegating authority to responsible and capable lower-level commanders. • Flexibility and versatility: Flexibility allows air and space forces to exploit mass and maneuver at the same time, by shifting from one objective to another. Versatility is the ability to employ air and space power effectively at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of warfare. • Synergistic effects: Effects that exceed the contributions of forces employed individually, or, in other words, the whole can be greater than the sum of the parts. • Persistence: A commander can conduct air, space, and information operations against a broad range of targets. • Concentration: Air and space power must achieve concentration of purpose. Airmen must guard against diluting air and space power effects through high demand. • Priority: This highlights the requirement for commanders to prioritize the needs for air and space power, without which demands for air and space power will likely overwhelm air commanders in future conflicts. • Balance: Air and space operations must be balanced. An air commander should balance combat opportunity, necessity, effectiveness, efficiency, and the effects on accomplishing objectives against the risk to friendly air and space forces.

One of the important effects of the Wright Brothers' flight was to further establish America as a technologically advance country. They were among the other prominent American inventors of their time.

The army originally spurned the Brothers and displayed no interest in their inventions, prompting the Brothers to take their business to France and the UK. A few years later, when flight was much more publicly praised and sought after, the Army showed more interest. They contracted the Brothers to demonstrate the abilities of their crafts. They were so impressed that, despite the death of a Lieutenant during one of the trials, they pursued further demonstrations from the Brothers.

Strategic bombing is the act of attacking points of the enemy territory that will cause the most problems for them with the least effort. Things like factories, bridges and roads, airports, ports and supply depots are common targets of strategic bombing.

• Limited in scope and intensity • Had a negligible outcome on the war • Laid the foundations for future thought

• Airpower was supreme after WWI • Bombers will win wars • Air weapons used against ports, railroads, and economic structures • Best way to gain air superiority is to destroy the enemy's ground organization • After gaining air superiority, focus bombers on cities to destroy industry and morale • Early "Total War" theory: war on the nation as a whole, not just military forces

The country returned to an isolationist stance and became more anti-military. The Army Air Service was reduced from 20,000 to 200 officers, a 99% reduction over one year. Civilian flight boomed however. Air Service tried to develop an Air Doctrine.

• He trained many officers that would carry on his legacy, many becoming instructors at the Air Corps Tactical School (ACTS). • He held trials to attempt to prove that Airpower was at the very least a rival of both land and sea power. These focused attention on airpower and eventually forced acceptance of the potential of airpower. • He continually developed doctrine, and was an advocate of strategic bombing. • Triggered the Air Corps Act of 1926 which moved towards a more separate Air Service, added an Assistant Secretary of War to oversee air units, and made all air units commanded by other rated officers.

• Original missions were to teach strategy and tactics as well as air doctrine • Future wars will be decided by airpower, because the airplane would be the primary offensive weapon • High-altitude, strategic, daylight bombing could paralyze industrialized enemies, without risking much on the part of the attacker • Clair Chennault (led Flying Tigers) taught pursuit aviation and advocated escorting bombers and strafing enemy rear areas • George Kenney (commanded Pacific Air Force in WWII) taught attack aviation—strafing attacks on enemy troops and behind enemy lines

• Established independent operating objectives for the Air Corps • Called for precision bombing of German industry and economy • Flawed because it did not provide for long range fighter escort • Emphasized the offensive nature of the mission, leaving ground support missions as a secondary concern • Targeted: Electrical power facilities, transportation assets and structures, synthetic petroleum production plants, aircraft industry facilities

They became the Army Air Force, commanded by General Hap Arnold. This left them one step away from attaining full independence. Anonymity

Initially the air forces were used defensively by the ground commanders. For this reason the air units were never shared and were completely split up amongst the various officers. This lead to an overall fragmented and inflexible deployment of airpower. After command was given to Air Officers instead of ground forces, the Air Forces were used at the discretion of the Air Officers; they decided the missions and allocated the forces. This lead to airpower being used offensively instead of defensively, and ultimately lead to the Allied forces regaining air superiority. Tactics and techniques were refined and eventually the Allies won in May 1943.

Airpower needs to be controlled by other airmen, by air commanders, not ground commanders.

• The Luftwaffe was primarily a "ground-supported" air force • The Luftwaffe wasn't trained in or equipped to conduct strategic bombing, due to their lack of strategic bombing doctrine • The British forces had excellent command and control, as well as communication systems • The Luftwaffe had poor intelligence capabilities

• Target list was not correct; should have targeted POL production facilities and sources of electrical power instead of sub pens and ball bearing factories • Terror bombing of civilians was ineffective in lowering morale • Bombers needed fighter escorts to and from targets

The FEAF (Far East Air Force) was formed of the 5th and 13th Air Forces. It used innovative techniques such as fragmentation bombs to interdict enemy positions and troops. They employed fighters (P-38 was very successful) and medium bombers. Won air superiority through a war of attrition.

On April 18th, 1942 Jimmy Doolittle led 16 bombers over 600 miles to Japan from an Aircraft Carrier. It did little damage, but it boosted Allied morale and hurt Japanese morale. The 20th AF was formed with the sole purpose of bombing Japan, using high altitude bombing, which was mostly ineffective. In January of 1945 General Curtis LeMay was put in charge. They started using incendiary bombs and lowered bombing altitude to increase efficacy. Fire bombing was very effective and deadly. Finally two nuclear bombs were dropped on Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Air and space power is the synergistic application of air space and information systems to protect global strategic military power

a. Developing Airmen -The ultimate source of combat ability is the men and women of the Air Force b. Technology to War fighting - The Air Force nurtures its ability to translate its technology into operational ability. To prevail in conflict and invert technological surprise. c. Integrating operations - Being able to be flexible in Join-Operations

It is an accumulation of knowledge gained primarily from the study and analysis of experience.

d.Unity of Command e.Objective f.Offensive g.Mass h.Maneuver i.Economy of Force j.Security k.Surprise l.Simplicity

m.Centralize control and decentralize execution n.Flexibility and Versatility o.Synergistic Effects p.Persistence q.Concentration r.Priority s.Balance

It was the first successful heavier than air flight that proved that man could use aviation in Air Power.

US government was very skeptical at first because of the Langley's failures

The air force's role of strategic bombing against enemy infrastructures with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability

It was limited in scope and intensity and had a negligible outcome on the war. It laid the foundation for future thought of airpower.

He believed airpower was supreme after WWI and that bombers would win all wars. He had the idea air weapons would be used against ports, railroads and economic structures. Best way to gain air superiority was to destroy the enemy's ground organization. He thought that once air superiority was achieved, bombers would concentrate on cities to destroy industry and morale. His doctrine led to total war concept (war on a nation as a whole- not just military forces).

The US returned to isolationism. The Army Air Service reduced from 20,000 officers to 200. Civilian aviation boomed, and military budgets were cut. Few saw potentials of aircraft in the military.

He believed the air service was an offensive force equal to the Army and Navy. The Army and Navy strongly opposed these views. He was a visionary, fanatic, and prophet. He alienated many due to constant attacks and the need for 100% support. His credibility was lost due to technology not meeting his expectations.

ACTS (Air Corps Tactical School) mission was to teach air strategy and tactics. It later changed to developing and teaching air doctrine. Some concepts that came out of it were: future wars would be decided by airpower, airplanes would be the primary offensive weapon of modern forces, and high-altitude, strategic, daylight bombing could paralyze and defeat an industrialized enemy.

The basic plan was to contain Japan in the Pacific, defending the Western Hemisphere, and defeating Germany First. 6,800 medium, heavy, and very heavy bombers in Europe and North Africa would be used to know Germany out of the war by destroying 154 industrial targets. 3,800 would carry the war to Germany because it would take a while to make 6,800.

This created the Army Air Force; the significance was it was a step toward an independent Air Force. The Army Air Force was still controlled by the Army, but it gained control of its own functions and operations.

The North African Campaign was the first use of US Ground forces against the Germans. It provided valuable combat experience for ground and air forces. IT was the first defeat of the German forces since 1930. We learned valuable lessons concerning the employment of airpower in tactical situations. The initial problems experienced by the Allies were: air units split among ground units, ground commanders didn't share aircraft, air power was used defensively, and airpower employment fragmented and inflexible. Allied airpower was reorganized in 1942, it became flexible, missions became offensive, tactical missions followed and techniques were refined. Victory was achieved in 1943.

Flexibility of airpower is important to air superiority. Command of the air forces need to go to Airmen. Air officers decided the missions and allocated forces. The missions need to be offensive in nature.

The Luftwaffe were not trained or equipped to conduct strategic bombing. British had excellent command, control, and communication systems in place. The Luftwaffe also had poor intelligence capabilities.

The target list was not what it should have been. We attack sub pens and ball bearing plants, these turned out to be ineffective. The best targets were the POL production facilities and sources of electrical power. We also learned that terror bombing of civilians was ineffective and did little to lower morale. Bombers NEEDED fighter escorts to and from the target.

FEAF (Far East Air Force) formed to support the South Pacific campaign. It was made up of the Fifth and Thirteenth Air Forces. They used innovative techniques such as fragmentation bombs, to interdict enemy positions and troops. They employed fighters and medium bombers with huge success. They won air superiority through a war of attrition.

• Jimmy Doolittle led a flight of 16 bombers from an aircraft carrier. They went 600 miles with little damage but boosted morale of US forces and shocked the Japanese. • The twentieth Air Force formed in 1944 to bomb Japan. The results were poor due to high altitude bombing techniques • General Arnold put Gen Curtis LeMay in charge of strategic bombing. This changed tactics to use incendiary bombs. Used lower altitude to improve B-29s accuracy. First firebomb of Tokyo was 9 March 1945. They burned 16 square miles, destroyed 267,00 buildings, and killed 85,000 people. • END OF THE WAR- President Truman authorized nuclear strikes against Japan. o 6 Aug 1945 Hiroshima bombed - 70,000 killed o 9 Aug 1945 Nagasaki bombed - 40,000 killed

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