Accession Number:

ADA326954

Title:

Decision from the Sky: Airpower as a Decisive Instrument of National Power.

Descriptive Note:

Strategy research rept.,

Corporate Author:

ARMY WAR COLL CARLISLE BARRACKS PA

Personal Author(s):

• Gann, Timothy D.

Report Date:

1997-04-15

Pagination or Media Count:

42.0

Abstract:

This paper explores airpower as a decisive instrument of national power and examines the key impediments that prevent it from reaching its full potential. The paper begins by examining the use of the term decisive within the defense community and offers a definition. Next, three examples of the decisive use of airpower are explored the Berlin Airlift, Operation Linebacker II, and Operation Deliberate Force. Emphasis is placed on how each operation helped to achieve the stated political objective. Succeeding sections include a look at the evolution of US airpower thinking, current and projected state of airpower capability and role of the decisionmaker in strategy development.

Descriptors:

• *OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS
• *AIR POWER
• *BOMBARDMENT(ATTACK)
• IRAQ
• STRATEGY
• AIRLIFT OPERATIONS
• BERLIN
• BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA

Subject Categories:

• Military Operations, Strategy and Tactics

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE