Posted on 11/02/2007 1:36:49 PM PDT by DesScorp
Does the United States Air Force (USAF) fit into the postSeptember 11 world, a world in which the military mission of U.S. forces focuses more on counterterrorism and counterinsurgency? Not very well. Even the new counterinsurgency manual authored in part by Gen. David H. Petraeus, specifically notes that the excessive use of airpower in counterinsurgency conflict can lead to disaster.
In response, the Air Force has gone on the defensive. In September 2006, Maj. Gen. Charles Dunlap Jr. published an article in Armed Forces Journal denouncing "boots on the ground zealots," and insisting that airpower can solve the most important problems associated with counterinsurgency. The Air Force also recently published its own counterinsurgency manual elaborating on these claims. A recent op-ed by Maj. Gen. Dunlap called on the United States to "think creatively" about airpower and counterinsurgency -- and proposed striking Iranian oil facilities.
Surely, this is not the way the United States Air Force had planned to celebrate its 60th anniversary. On Sept. 18, 1947, Congress granted independence to the United States Army Air Force (USAAF), the branch of the U.S. Army that had coordinated the air campaigns against Germany and Japan.
But it's time to revisit the 1947 decision to separate the Air Force from the Army. While everyone agrees that the United States military requires air capability, it's less obvious that we need a bureaucratic entity called the United States Air Force. The independent Air Force privileges airpower to a degree unsupported by the historical record. This bureaucratic structure has proven to be a continual problem in war fighting, in procurement, and in estimates of the costs of armed conflict. Indeed, it would be wrong to say that the USAF is an idea whose time has passed. Rather, it's a mistake that never should have been made.
(Excerpt) Read more at prospect.org ...
The F 22 will shoot down an F 18 999 our of 1000 times.
Not even the F 15 has been able to lay a glove on the F 22 in air to air combat simulation. Every sortie ends up with the Raptor opponent toast.
“Its one thing to sink an obsolete, unmanned ship that just sits in the water, not firing back. Its quite another when that ship has a skilled crew, is moving and fighting back.”
I think the Japanese admiral at the Battle of Midway would disagree with you, since he lost three carriers to US aircraft. And those carriers were neither unmanned nor obsolete.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1920690/posts
Pilots tallying fewer bombings as Iraq hits lull
FWIW
>> I think the Japanese admiral at the Battle of Midway would disagree with you
Japan lost a lot more than a few carriers to the USAAF.
In which he is pushing his own agenda. I'm certain that we would not be best served with the strategic nuclear mission and space missions under Army command (no bad on the Army, but these programs need their own focused approach).
I think the issue of whether the Army should have its own fixed wing attack aircraft is a good question.
Then there's always Article V, isn't there?
Which is why it funds an Army and a Navy. It also says to promote the general welfare, which is how all these other cabinet posts like Education, Health and Human Services, Interior, etc. came to be.
I like your idea better. Can we add the NEA to it?
The real question for the airforce is how long men will still be in the cockpits.
I'm just saying...
Meanwhile...
Good point. The USAF obviously has nothing to do with the common defense.
Ron Paul, what are you doing posting here?
This is about the most stupid thing I’ve seen put out in such a long time. What an idiot left wing nut job. BTW, I am an Air Force vet.
I won’t argue with you there.
btw, imo, you were correct in your P51 Mustang statement. ;-)
“Fact is that the Navy already has nuclear and flight experience. The USAF has no experience with ships so your argument is not valid.”
Not true, I bet you did not know the USAF has ships.
http://www.af.mil/news/story_print.asp?id=123072417
I did not know that. 4 freighters...
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