US Air Force lessons in Counterinsurgency : Exposing Voids in Doctrinal Guidance

By Major John W. Doucette, USAF

Book Id: WPLBN0002170765
Format Type: PDF eBook:
File Size: 0.3 MB
Reproduction Date: 10/23/2012

Title:	US Air Force lessons in Counterinsurgency : Exposing Voids in Doctrinal Guidance
Author:	Major John W. Doucette, USAF
Volume:
Language:	English
Subject:	Non Fiction, Military Science, Insurgent Warfare
Collections:	Authors Community, History
Historic Publication Date:
Publisher:	Air University Press

Member Page:	Air University Press
Citation APA MLA Chicago John W. Doucette, Usa, B. M. (n.d.). US Air Force lessons in Counterinsurgency : Exposing Voids in Doctrinal Guidance. Retrieved from http://gutenberg.cc/

Description
To help educate airmen about the realities of counterinsurgency, this study addresses how insurgent warfare is fundamentally different from conventional wars, develops lessons from two case studies, highlights the challenges that US airmen face, and examines the adequacy of Air Force and Joint doctrine for counterinsurgency operations.

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION......8 Insurgencies: Not Uncommon ....8 Insurgencies in the Abstract....10 Insurgencies: Fundamentally Different.....11 Counterinsurgency: The US Airman’s Challenge .....12 Methodology of this Study......14 Limitations of the Study....15 SOUTH VIETNAMESE COUNTERINSURGENCY CAMPAIGN AND OPERATION FARMGATE, 1961-1964.....16 Origins of Conflict ......16 Overview of FARMGATE .....18 Program Inception....18 Concept of Operations ......19 Analysis of Operations......20 US Air Force Involvement......20 Army of the Republic of Vietnam ......22 Vietnamese Air Force ....23 Factors Affecting the Role of Air Advisors....24 National Politics....24 US Inter-Service Competition....26 Cultural Factors.....28 Command, Control and Operations ....29 Tasking Air Assets......29 Mission Planning and Targeting Guidance.....31 Combat Intelligence ....32 Other Significant Issues ....33 Rules of Engagement .....33 Training.....34 Equipment....35 FARMGATE Counterinsurgency Operations: Lessons Learned.....37 EL SALVADOR INSURGENCY: 1981-1992.....39 Overview of Operations....41 US Involvement ....41 Salvadoran Military Strategy .....42 Analysis of Operations......44 US Armed Forces.....44 Salvadoran Army .....45 Salvadoran Air Force .....46 Factors Affecting US Training Mission....47 Salvadoran National Politics......47 Salvadoran Inter-Service Competition......48 Cultural Factors.....51 Command, Control and Operations ....52 Tasking Air Assets......52 Mission Planning and Targeting Guidance.....53 Combat Intelligence ....54 Other Significant Factors .....56 Rules of Engagement .....56 Training.....57 Limitations ......58 El Salvador: Conclusions.....59 Eventual Outcomes .....59 El Salvador: Lessons Learned......60 US AIR FORCE COUNTERINSURGENCY DOCTRINAL GUIDANCE .....61 Role of Doctrine....61 US Air Force Doctrine ......62 US Air Force Foreign Internal Defense Doctrine ....65 US Army and Marine Corps Doctrine ......71 Counterinsurgency Doctrine: Minimal Guidance for Airmen ......72 COUNTERINSURGENCY REALITY VERSUS DOCTRINAL GUIDANCE.....74 Counterinsurgency Reality: Lessons for Airmen.....74 Applicability and Sufficiency of Doctrine......80 Conclusions.....85 BIBLIOGRAPHY....87