Impact of Volcanic Activity on AMC Channel Operations

The basic foundation of airpower promotes unique capabilities and inherent advantages to achieve strategic, operational, and tactical objectives for the nation. Air mobility and its associated core competencies are seated appropriately under this airpower umbrella. Exploiting its inherent speed and tremendous range allows air mobility to become rapid global mobility. The core competency of rapid global mobility, the lifeblood of sustained combat operations, presents itself as one of the greatest military advantages in the world. Understanding the importance of rapid global mobility to the United States National Security Strategy NSS, and subsequent National Military Strategy NMS, is paramount when analyzing the impact of its interruption. The eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull on April 14, 2010 significantly affected Air Mobility Commands AMC ability to execute rapid global mobility, and more specifically, its sustained channel network. The ash impediment created by the eruption perpetuated system disruptions that threatened the Air Forces ability to sustain combat operations abroad.