Accession Number:

ADA618930

Title:

Untethered Operations: Rapid Mobility and Forward Basing Are Keys to Airpower's Success in the Antiaccess/Area-Denial Environment

Descriptive Note:

Journal article

Corporate Author:

AIR UNIV MAXWELL AFB AL AIR FORCE RESEARCH INST

Personal Author(s):

Report Date:

2015-06-01

Pagination or Media Count:

13.0

Abstract:

Simply put, anti-access A2 challenges prevent or degrade the ability to enter an operational area. . . . Area denial AD refers to threats to forces within the operational area italics in original. Although opposing forces throughout history have tried to deny each other freedom of movement around the battlefield, during recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, these actions occurred mostly at the tactical level. However, just as Blitzkrieg changed combat in 1940, anti-accessarea denial technologies and strategies have re-defined the character of modern warfare. In this new environment, sophisticated adversaries will use asymmetric capabilities including electronic and cyber warfare, ballistic and cruise missiles, advanced air defenses, mining, and other methods to complicate our operational calculus. US strategic guidance has been clear in noting that despite the challenges of operating in the A2AD environment, US forces must continue to project power to credibly deter potential adversaries and prevent them from attaining their objectives.4 Recent discussions of A2AD have mostly focused on the Western Pacific theater of operations however, Russia s aggression in Ukraine makes it clear that European security and the international rules and norms against territorial aggression cannot be taken for granted. Given this backdrop, Russian A2AD capabilities pose new issues for US and NATOpartner air forces.

Descriptors:

Subject Categories:

  • Military Aircraft Operations
  • Military Operations, Strategy and Tactics

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE


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