Usaf Lays Down Expeditionary Doctrine

Covering war strategy, tactics, effects-based operations (EBO), AETF, and air expeditionary wing (AEW), this publication, AFDD 2, Operations and Organization, is the companion to AFDD 1 and provides the next level of granularity. It describes how the US Air Force organizes and employs air and space power at the operational level across the range of military operations. The concepts discussed in this publication-the role and responsibilities of the senior warfighting Airman; the basics behind our expeditionary organizational model; the fundamentals of joint and Service command arrangements; how we plan operations; and the means by which we place the collective capabilities of air and space power into the hands of a single Airman-are the foundations for all our operations. We are in the middle of a long, shadowy war that will be punctuated by episodes of full-up, conventional operations. Many different types of operations will occur simultaneously; tempo and objectives may shift rapidly. We will be challenged to adapt well-practiced tactics and to think in new ways to solve unforeseen challenges. As the war evolves, so must we. Some aspects of warfighting, however, will remain constant. Our doctrine captures these enduring aspects. Our success in meeting the challenges of this rapidly changing world depends on our understanding and applying our doctrine. Doctrine describes not only how we would command and employ air and space forces today, but is also the point of departure to guide us in meeting the challenges of tomorrow. Air and space power is a critical element in protecting our Nation and deterring aggression. It will only remain so if we, as professional Airmen, study, evaluate, and debate our capabilities and the environment of the future. Just as technology, world threats, and opportunities change, so must our doctrine. Each of you must be articulate, knowledgeable, and unapologetic advocates of our doctrine. We must understand what it means to be an Airman and be able to articulate what air and space power can bring to the joint fight. I encourage you to read our doctrine, discuss it, and practice it. Contents: Chapter One - An Introduction To Air And Space Operations * Chapter Two - Operations * Chapter Three - Commanding Us Air Force Forces * Chapter Four - Organizing Us Air Force Forces * Chapter Five - The Air And Space Component Within The Joint Force * Chapter Six - Planning For Operations * Chapter Seven - Air And Space Operations Centers * Chapter Eight - The Affor Staff

Air Force Doctrine Document (AFDD) 3-52, Airspace Control, is the Air Force's foundational doctrinal publication on Air Force airspace control operations and organization. AFDD 3-52 presents Air Force-sanctioned ideas, lessons learned, and best practices to help Airmen2 conceptualize and articulate their role in airspace control operations. The publication introduces and develops the Air Force's role in integrating controlling agencies and joint airspace users into the theater-wide mission of the joint force commander. It establishes the foundations for developing Air Force education on airspace control and the subsequent development of sound tactics, techniques, and procedures. Chapter 1, Airspace Control Fundamentals, places into context airspace control's role within the range of military operations. In doing so, the chapter acknowledges the complexity of the modern airspace environment while simultaneously noting the critical role airspace control plays in the integration, deconfliction, and risk management of joint operations. It discusses the unique perspective Airmen bring to airspace control and the general policy guiding their actions. The chapter describes airspace control's cross-domain effects and how the enduring principles of war and tenets of airpower relate to its operations. Finally it details how this publication integrates with corresponding joint and sister-Service doctrine. Chapter 2, Command and Organization, describes organization and command relationships within the Air Force command architecture and how these forces are presented to a joint force commander as part of the commander, Air Force forces' air and space expeditionary task force. It details the roles and responsibilities of Air Force structure as well as the corresponding organizations of the other Services and Components. Finally, the chapter details the homeland organizational structure and the intertwined complexity of military and agency governing and regulation. Chapter 3, Planning and Execution, describes how airspace control operations are designed, planned, and executed across the range of military operations. Two appendices complement the document. The first appendix outlines considerations when developing an ACP. The second appendix, "Regional Air Movement Control Center," describes the organization, its reason for existence, and its structure.

The US Air Force provides unique warfighting capabilities that are essential to joint operations. Foremost among these capabilities is the ability to rapidly focus American combat power and life-saving resources anywhere on the planet. Frequently, and especially in the opening stages of a conflict, air and space power may be the main manifestation of combat power we bring to bear against an adversary. Of these capabilities, the Air Force provides a very singular form of power: the ability to rapidly position and sustain forces at places and times of our choosing. This pivotal capability—air mobility—is the essential ingredient for modern US expeditionary operations and supports joint force commander-desired effects to deter, dissuade, or destroy the enemy. Force projection provides for presence, mass and maneuver, surprise, security and economy. It is the sum of an impressive fleet of transport and aerial refueling aircraft, underpinned by a flexible support system, and operated by a specialized cadre of active duty Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, and Air Force civilian personnel. While other forms of American military power have some degree of inherent mobility, the scale of flexibility and responsiveness of the Air Force's air mobility forces is singular in the history of world conflict. This Air Force Doctrine Document (AFDD) 3-17, Air Mobility Operations, has been prepared under the direction of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. This document establishes doctrinal guidance for the application of the air mobility forces and is consistent with, and complementary to, capstone doctrine contained in AFDD 1, Air Force Basic Doctrine, and AFDD 2, Operations and Organization. AFDD 3-17 serves as the keystone doctrine document for employing airlift, air refueling, and air mobility support elements as an integrated system of operations.

Air Force Doctrine Document (AFDD) 3-10, “Force Protection,” is the Air Force's operational level doctrinal publication on force protection. Force protection supports the core function of Agile Combat Support, and its supporting capability of “Protect the Force.” Protecting Air Force personnel and resources is critical to the Service's ability to perform its mission. Due to the increased lethality of international and domestic threats, it is imperative the Air Force take strong measures to protect our personnel and installations, both at home and abroad. How the Air Force protects its forces is critical to global engagement. An air and space expeditionary task force poised to respond to global taskings within hours must establish the means and will to fully protect its forces. Commanders at all levels must have an effective force protection program. Commanders are responsible for protecting their people and the warfighting resources necessary to perform any military operation. We are obligated by the moral necessity of protecting our Airmen to ensure force protection is a part of Air Force culture. The Air Force must continue to develop and refine doctrine that promotes the most effective way to achieve force protection. Understanding and using this doctrine will help ensure the successful protection of our people and resources. Chapter 1, Force Protection Fundamentals, defines force protection for the Air Force and describes how the Air Force views force protection as compared to the multinational and joint views. It describes the basic features of force protection and provides a description of the military challenges faced by commanders and Airmen responsible for force protection, the unique perspective they provide, and general procedures that guide their actions. Chapter 2, Command Responsibilities for Force Protection, describes command relationships when addressing force protection concerns and illustrates how Air Force forces are presented to a joint force commander as part of the commander of Air Force forces' air and space expeditionary task force. It also shows how these relationships integrate into ongoing operations conducted by other national-level US government agencies and host nation counterparts, and describes legal considerations for force protection. Chapter 3, Threats and Hazards to the Air Force Mission, describes the many threats and hazards faced by Air Force personnel and identifies the various levels of threat that exist throughout the range of military operations. It further discusses Department of Defense terrorism threat levels assessed by the Defense Intelligence Agency as well as force protection conditions as used by geographic combatant commanders. It provides a discussion of threat objectives and hazard effects. Chapter 4, Force Protection Planning, introduces risk management as a process to assist decision makers in reducing or offsetting risks. It gives an overview of the process; identifies the goals, key aspects, and principle concepts of the process; and provides general guidelines for applying the process. The chapter discusses force protection planning considerations, describing the direct relationship between force protection and risk management. Chapter 5, The Force Protection Community, discusses the concepts of integrated defense, emergency management, the critical infrastructure program, and force protection effects.

This document is the Air Force's premier statement of warfighting principles and beliefs, updated in late 2011. It is the senior doctrine publication from which all other Air Force doctrine flows. Historically, airpower has been associated with its more familiar and visible aspects, such as air-to-air combat, strategic bombing, and long-range heavy airlift. However, airpower has many less visible but equally important missions across the range of military operations: providing close air support and tactical mobility to our ground forces; positioning and resupplying remote forces; obtaining and providing detailed and timely intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; providing humanitarian relief; projecting world-wide command and control; and training of coalition partners in the use of airpower, just to name a few. Also, while many parts of the Air Force are visibly engaged in overseas expeditionary operations, other aspects of the Air Force are quietly at work day-to-day, overwatching the homeland. These include nuclear forces on alert; ground- and space-based national warning systems; cyberspace forces monitoring the security of military networks; and fighters on call to defend sovereign airspace. Much has transpired in the world since the previous edition of AFDD 1 was published in 2003. Irregular warfare and homeland defense have taken on more importance; the Air Force has recognized cyberspace as an operational domain and has renewed its commitment to nuclear operations; and we are now investing heavily in unmanned aircraft systems. Seven years ago, we could not have accurately foreseen these changes; looking forward, the future is equally unpredictable. While we cannot accurately predict where and how we'll next be engaged, doctrine provides a leg up, outlining the basics of organization and command, providing guidance on how to think about and plan for different types of operations and missions. These foundational basics allow us to respond more quickly, freeing commanders and planners to think about larger issues such as strategy, operational art, and objectives. Contents: Chapter One - Doctrine * Chapter Two - Airpower * Chapter Three - War * Chapter Four - Principles And Tenets * Chapter Five - Air Force Functions * Chapter Six - Commanding And Organizing Air Force Forces * Chapter Seven - The Air Force Component Within The Joint Force

This document is the Air Force's premier statement of warfighting principles and beliefs. It is the senior doctrine publication from which all other Air Force doctrine flows. Historically, airpower has been associated with its more familiar and visible aspects, such as air-to-air combat, strategic bombing, and long-range heavy airlift. However, airpower has many less visible but equally important missions across the range of military operations: providing close air support and tactical mobility to our ground forces; positioning and resupplying remote forces; obtaining and providing detailed and timely intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; providing humanitarian relief; projecting world-wide command and control; and training of coalition partners in the use of airpower, just to name a few. Also, while many parts of the Air Force are visibly engaged in overseas expeditionary operations, other aspects of the Air Force are quietly at work day-to-day, overwatching the homeland. These include nuclear forces on alert; ground- and space-based national warning systems; cyberspace forces monitoring the security of military networks; and fighters on call to defend sovereign airspace.

In this first of a two-volume study, Dr. Futrell presents a chronological survey of the development of Air Force doctrine and thinking from the beginnings of powered flight to the onset of the space age. He outlines the struggle of early aviation enthusiasts to gain acceptance of the airplane as a weapon and win combat-arm status for the Army Air Service (later the Army Air Corps and Army Air Force). He surveys the development of airpower doctrine during the 1930s and World War II and outlines the emergence of the autonomous US Air Force in the postwar period. Futrell brings this first volume to a close with discussions of the changes in Air Force thinking and doctrine necessitated by the emergence of the intercontinental missile, the beginnings of space exploration and weapon systems, and the growing threat of limited conflicts resulting from the Communist challenge of wars of liberation. In volume two, the author traces the new directions that Air Force strategy, policies, and thinking took during the Kennedy administration, the Vietnam War, and the post-Vietnam period. Futrell outlines how the Air Force struggled with President Kennedy's redefinition of national security policy and Robert S. McNamara's managerial style as secretary of defense. He describes how the Air Force argued that airpower should be used during the war in Southeast Asia. He chronicles the evolution of doctrine and organization regarding strategic, tactical, and airlift capabilities and the impact that the aerospace environment and technology had on Air Force thinking and doctrine.