Developing a strategic bomber in today's budget constrained environment is a challenging prospect. The design requirements must address conflict across the spectrum and remain relevant regardless of the enemy America faces. The operational concept...
This thesis examines the position the B-52 has filled in support of U.S. national security objectives and deterrence. This thesis recommends that the B-52G augment the bomber fleet until the B-2 and new precision-guided munitions become available...
This monograph compares sea-launched cruise missiles to heavy bomber delivered munitions performing the battlespace dominance mission in the first five days of a major regional contingency (MRC). Battlespace dominance is a Navy doctrinal term. The...
Avid readers of WWII air combat will find the Eighth AAF’s strategic bombing mission #84 (the Schweinfurt-Regensburg raid on August 17th, 1943) and mission #115 (the Schweinfurt raid on October 14th, 1943) to be tremendous setbacks to the...
This monograph seeks to determine under what conditions an operational commander might employ strategic airpower in his campaign design. This journey begins first by exploring the linkage between strategy, operations, and tactics. Next, U.S. Army...
This study examines factors influencing the development of theory and doctrine based on emerging and future technology. It uses the air power theory of Giulio Douhet and the unescorted daylight strategic bombing doctrine of the US Army Air Force to...
As a result of the Allied bombing campaign against Nazi submarine bases during the Second World War, the cities of Brest, Lorient, and Saint Nazaire were nearly completely destroyed. Despite thousands of bombing missions, all three submarine...
This monograph discusses the question of whether or not the USAF should consider using heavy bombers in the Close Air Support (CAS) mission. To answer this question, the monograph develops a bomber CAS concept of operations. The validity of this...
Since the birth of the airplane, airpower has been used in an attempt to influence the outcome of ground battle. The effectiveness of the early aircraft in this role was limited by early aircraft design and the lack of standardized methods of...
This monograph examines the nature of Allied strategic bombing on The Netherlands in the Second World War. It discusses the endless controversy on strategic bombing and classifies its discourse into six different narratives. It adds the policy of...
During home station training operations, United States Air Force bomb wings use a five-year historical loss rate, also known as attrition, to predict future losses in the monthly flying schedules. The purpose of the attrition is to ensure that...
This monograph is one of a series prepared under instructions from the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers to the Japanese Government (SCAPIN No. 126, 12 Oct 1945). The series covers not only the operations of the Japanese armed forces during...
The United States has maintained a Triad of strategic nuclear delivery systems since the early 1960's. This Triad includes strategic bombers, intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM), and submarine launched ballistic missiles (SLBM). The...
This monograph analyzes recent (post-1980) suicide bombings and determines the probability of the same in the Continental United States (CONUS). Analysis includes a brief history of modern suicide bombing and an examination of the strategic,...
This monograph examines Claire Lee Chennault as a military theorist and campaign planner. It inquires whether Chennault's evolution of a theory of war assisted his planning the China-Burma-India Campaign during World War II. The monograph is...
War is the outward expression of competition between complex adaptive political and military systems. In war, competing systems introduce new technological means to gain comparative advantage over other systems and the environment. Greater...
The Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) has brought about several new situations that our Soldiers are forced to confront in combat. The rules of engagement (ROE) provide general guidance on the use of force against combatants and non-combatants; the...
Office, U.S. Secretary, Office of the Combined Chiefs of Staff
The minutes of the Combined Chiefs' meeting at the major conferences touch on virtually every policy and strategy issue of World War II, from initial troop deployments to counter Axis aggression, through the debates about the location and timing of...
A steadfast misbelief in precision bombing evolved into the leading concept for US Army Air Force during the Second World War. This concept envisioned the destruction of the German industrial and economic system as the swiftest path to victory....
This manual containing illustrations with explanatory data relative to German aircraft is published for distribution. It will be used for instruction of officers and men in appearance and general characteristics of German aircraft.