Close Air Support (CAS) in 2025 "Computer, Lead's in Hot".

The mission of close air support CAS currently exists in every service doctrine and will continue to be required in 2025. Advances in technology will reduce the many shortfalls currently causing concern regarding the CAS mission. In 2025, time-critical applications of airpower and space power in support of troops on the ground will be vastly simplified from the perspective of both the tasker and the attacker. This paper describes the requisite systems and technology needed for aircraft to perform the mission. It does not discuss organizational issues. In the year 2025, the inevitable evolution of precision weapons will make every air asset that is capable of ground attack capable of performing CAS. The automated assignment of the ground target coupled with ease of employmant and standoff capability will profoundly simplify weapon delivery tactics and defensive system requirements. The addition of onboard and in-flight programming capabilities greatly enhances mission effectiveness. Relative proximity of the target to allied ground troops poised for attack could be the only discriminator of mission demarcation between CAS, battlefield air interdiction, or even strategic attack. Premission planning and weaponeering time will be slashed. The resultant rapid apportionment flexibility will revolutionize the application of airpower.