Counterland Operations

In war, defeating an enemy's force is often a necessary step on the path to victory. Defeating enemy armies is a difficult task that often comes with a high price tag in terms of blood and treasure. With its inherent speed, range, and flexibility, air and space power offers a way to lower that risk by providing commanders a synergistic tool that can provide a degree of control over the surface environment and render enemy forces ineffective before they meet friendly land forces. Modern air and space power directly affects an adversary's ability to initiate, conduct, and sustain ground combat.

The changed strategic landscape of the 21st century has driven a shift to more flexible, adaptable capabilities across the spectrum of conflict. Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have demonstrated the validity of team warfare between air and land forces during open hostilities with an enemy. The time has come for innovative counter-air and counter-land concepts focused on medium- to large-scale conventional combat operations that will merge air and ground forces even more effectively into a single potent fighting force. Such is the focus of AirLandBattle21. A basic assumption in this study is that, during major combat operations, a relevant number of Brigade Combat Teams (BCTs) will conduct distributed operations in a non-linear, non-contiguous and geographically separated fashion. The study introduces a flexible counter-air framework that allows for the most efficient use of limited air assets and advocates only the necessary levels of air control in different areas across the theatre. The study also offers alternative views of strategic attack and explores the critical role tactical airlift will play in employing and sustaining the brigade combat team.

This study analyzes the use of airpower against enemy ground forces. Maj Scott G. Walker assesses current doctrinal definitions of the close air support and interdiction missions as seen by the Air Force and Army, comparing and contrasting the two. In chapter 2 Major Walker examines a typical modern field army, analyzing the various parts of combat and support forces for criticality and vulnerability to air attack. Chapter 3 examines the desired operational effects and tactical results. This examination includes the questions of enemy actions, congruence with overall strategy, and the tactical problem of finding, idenhfing, striking, and assessing damage to the target. Operational level combat assessment is also discussed. In chapter 4 Major Walker examines the historical development of combined arms warfare and current Army doctrine regarding forms of maneuver, attack, and defense, highlighting areas where a particular ground scheme of maneuver is best supported by a particular air mission, or by air attack on a specific target set. Chapter 5 briefly reviews four case studies in attack aviation, ranging from World War One to the Vietnam War. The final chapter is a recap of the top-to-bottom analysis process, including a graphic depiction of the author's counterland analysis framework. The themes that recur throughout are the need for planning to remain flexible, using the speed and firepower of air attack to concentrate force where needed, and the requirement for good operational and tactical intelligence.