Posture

Statement

The U.S. Air Force

2006
ii iii

We are America’s Airmen. Our mission is to deliver sovereign options for the defense of the United 

States of America and its global interests—we fly and we fight—in air, space and cyberspace. For the 

past 15 years, our Air Force team has proven its mettle and skill every day. Since the days of DESERT 

STORM, we have been globally and continuously engaged in combat. We will continue to show the same 

ingenuity, courage and resolve and achieve success in our three most important challenges: winning the 

Global War on Terror (GWOT); developing and caring for our Airmen; and maintaining, modernizing and 

recapitalizing our aircraft and equipment.

In the GWOT we face vile enemies—enemies devoid of any positive vision of the future, who seek only 

to destroy the United States and the ideals and freedoms upon which America is built. We will win this 

fight. We will maintain our focus on winning this fight. While maintaining focus on winning the GWOT 

we will also maintain vigilance—vigilance in defense of our homeland and vigilance against emerging 

threats in an uncertain world.

Our expeditionary fighting forces and culture, centered on the Air and Space Expeditionary Force, provide 

the foundation for our operations. We will more closely align our Regular Air Force, Air National Guard 

and Air Force Reserve units with Total Force initiatives to enhance our overall capability. We will 

continue transforming to meet the challenges of a dynamic world.

We will remain focused on caring for and developing our Airmen—our most valuable resource. We 

will continue to look for ways to maintain and improve their training, their personal and professional 

development and their quality of life, so they may continue to meet the commitments of today while 

preparing for the challenges of tomorrow.

We are operating the oldest inventory of aircraft in our history, while maintaining the intense Operations 

Tempo required by the GWOT, humanitarian crises, and routine requirements. Meanwhile, competitor 

states are developing air and air defense systems that could threaten our ability to maintain Air and Space 

Dominance. These factors drive the urgent need to modernize and recapitalize our aircraft. We must act 

now to preserve our Nation’s freedom of action in the future. The Secretary of Defense described future 

threats in terms of four quadrants—traditional, irregular, catastrophic and disruptive. We must develop, 

acquire and maintain systems that can counter threats in any of these quadrants. We will do so by 

incorporating lean principles that eliminate waste while providing transparency in our processes.

Our 2006 Posture Statement outlines our plan to accomplish these goals regarding GWOT, our Airmen, 

and our aircraft and equipment. It reflects our commitment to good stewardship of the resources entrusted 

to us, and our dedication to protecting our Nation in air, space and cyberspace.

VISION

Lasting Heritage ... Limitless Horizons

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the U.S. Air Force is to deliver sovereign options 

for the defense of the United States of America and its global 

interests - to fly and fight in Air, Space, and Cyberspace.

Prepare for & Participate in the Joint Fight, Anywhere, Anytime

Develop, Maintain, and Sustain the Warfighter Edge

Provide Motivated, Ethical, Accountable Air Force Warriors

Integrity • Service • Excellence
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Introduction Heritage to Horizon

Over a century ago, America crossed the threshold of powered flight and gave wings to the world. Soon 

military leaders realized the implications of this development, and warfare was changed forever. America 

was fortunate to have “Great Captains” with the vision to imagine the possibilities of air and space power—

Airmen like Billy Mitchell, Frank Andrews, Hap Arnold, Ira Eaker, Jimmy Doolittle and Bennie Schriever. 

They have given us a proud heritage of courage, excellence and innovation. In so doing, they also give us a 

sense of perspective and a way to understand the Air Force’s future. 

They have shown us an unlimited horizon. Each of them lived in dangerous times and faced many 

demanding challenges. Today, we also find ourselves as a Nation and an Air Force facing similarly 

dangerous and demanding challenges. Some are global or national in scope; others are specific to the Air 

Force. 

During the last decade the United States Air Force transformed to a modular expeditionary force of ten Air 

and Space Expeditionary Force (AEF) packages providing agile air and space power. Our Airmen have 

proven tremendously successful across the spectrum of operations from humanitarian efforts to Homeland 

Defense operations and the Global War on Terrorism. We will continue transforming to meet the challenges 

of a dynamic world by rebalancing the force and realigning our structure into a Total Force that meets 

increased demands for persistent intelligence, rapid mobility and precision strike capabilities. The AEF 

construct provides the ideal toolbox from which we can provide tailored, efficient and lethal air and space 

forces to deal with future challenges. 

The Air Force faces the broadest set of mission requirements across the entire spectrum of warfare. We will 

bolster our Nation’s ability to respond swiftly, flexibly and decisively to asymmetric, irregular and emerging 

threats. We have embarked on a bold, new initiative known as Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st 

Century (AFSO21) as a means to best allocate our resources to meet this increasing set of challenges. All of 

these challenges will require the very best efforts of our Airmen throughout the Total Force.

SECAF-CSAF Welcome............................................................... iii

Introduction – Heritage to Horizon...............................................1

Winning the Global War on Terror (GWOT) ..........................2

Developing and Caring for Our Airmen..................................3

Maintenance, Modernization and Recapitalization ................3

Air and Space Power Today – Building on Our Heritage.............5

Current Security Environment.................................................5

 Global War on Terror (GWOT)........................................5

 Emerging Threats .............................................................7

 Threat of WMD Proliferation...........................................9

Air Force Contributions to OIF, OEF and ONE...................... 12

 Air and Space Operations in OIF and OEF ...................... 12

 Air and Space Operations in ONE.................................... 14

 Air and Space Power – 

 An Essential Element of the Joint Fight ........................... 15

 Battlefield Airmen ............................................................ 16

 Innovative Uses of Technology ........................................ 17

 Aeromedical Evacuations................................................. 19

 Adaptive Airmen: Airmen Filling Non-traditional Roles. 20

Other Operations ..................................................................... 21

 Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Operations.................. 21

 Maintaining Our Nuclear Deterrent.................................. 23

 Space Support for Operations........................................... 23

Air and Space Power for Tomorrow – 

Aiming for the Unlimited Horizon ............................................... 25

Priorities .................................................................................. 25

 Developing and Caring for Our Airmen........................... 25

 Force Shaping............................................................ 25

 Balancing the Total Force.......................................... 27

 Force Development ................................................... 27

 Recruiting/Retention.................................................. 27

 Personnel Services Delivery...................................... 28 

 National Security Personnel System (NSPS)............ 29

 Caring for Airmen ..................................................... 29

 Housing and Military Construction (MILCON)........ 30

 Common Airman Culture .......................................... 31

 Training at Keesler AFB Following Hurricane Katrina... 32

 Maintenance, Modernization and Recapitalization .......... 32

 Aircraft....................................................................... 33

 UAVs ......................................................................... 34

 Airborne ISR ............................................................. 35 

 Space and Nuclear Forces ......................................... 35

 Operational Infrastructure and 

 Support Modernization (OSM) ............................. 37

 Acquisition Reform .......................................................... 38

Focus Areas ............................................................................. 40

 Total Force Integration ..................................................... 40

 Science and Technology (S&T)........................................ 41

 Air Force Smart Operations for 

 the 21st Century (AFSO21) .......................................... 43

 Fuel Conservation and Efficiency .................................... 43

 C4ISR............................................................................... 45

 Warfighting Headquarters (WFHQs)................................ 46

 Joint Warfighting Space (JWS)......................................... 47

 Long Range Strike............................................................ 47

 Improving CAS ................................................................ 47

 Special Operations Forces (SOF)..................................... 48

 BRAC............................................................................... 49

Summary – Heritage to Horizon................................................... 511
Winning the Global War 

on Terror (GWOT)

Our first priority is to maintain focus on 

winning the GWOT. We will continue to 

operate as part of a true Joint and Coalition 

team, multiplying the effectiveness of our 

partners to win this war. We fly and we 

fight—whether we’re flying A-10s over 

Afghanistan; flying F-16s over Iraq; operating 

and maneuvering communications satellites 

in geosynchronous orbit; remotely piloting 

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) patrolling 

over Baghdad; or maintaining vigilance over 

our Nation’s homeland in an E-3 Airborne 

Warning and Control System (AWACS) 

aircraft. All Airmen, no matter what their 

specialty, contribute to this mission.

We must keep in mind that the GWOT is not 

defined by today’s headlines or locations. It 

will be a long war, with shifting venues and 

constantly evolving threats. The character and 

capabilities of potential U.S. adversaries are 

increasingly uncertain, veiled, growing and 

changing, as both state and non-state actors 

acquire advanced technology and the means 

to either acquire or develop weapons of mass 

destruction (WMDs).

We can foresee serious threats posed by increasing numbers and sophistication of 

ballistic and cruise missiles; chemical, 

biological, radiological and nuclear weapons; 

advanced surface-to-air missiles (SAMs); 

and sophisticated combat aircraft. We 

also anticipate the real threat of potentially 

crippling attacks on our Nation’s critical 

infrastructure, including space networks. 

Not only must we be prepared to confront 

known threats, but we also must be ready 

for unexpected, disruptive breakthroughs in 

technology that may undercut traditional U.S. 

advantages.

Maintaining a strong defense able to overcome 

and defeat these threats remains an imperative 

for our Nation. Currently, the Air Force can 

command the global commons of air and 

space and significantly influence the global 

commons of the sea and cyberspace; however, 

we cannot indefinitely maintain this advantage 

using the current technology of the air and 

space systems and equipment comprising our 

existing force structure.

Developing and Caring 

for Our Airmen

Our Regular Air Force Airmen, Air National 

Guardsmen, Air Force Reservists and 

civilians, who together form our Total Force, 

are building on their inheritance of courage, 

excellence and innovation. They are highly 

educated and resourceful, and have created 

the most lethal Air Force that has ever existed. 

We must continue to look for ways to maintain 

and improve their training, their personal and 

professional development and their quality 

of life, so that they may continue to meet the 

commitments of today while preparing for the 

challenges of tomorrow.

Airmen today are contributing to combat 

operations in ways never before envisioned—

as convoy drivers and escorts, detainee guards 

and translators to give a few examples. Other 

Airmen routinely serve “outside the wire” 

as Special Tactics operators, Joint Terminal 

Attack Controllers and Special Operations 

Weather personnel. All of these Airmen 

must receive the proper training to survive, 

fight and win. We are working within the Air 

Force, as well as with our Joint warfighting 

partners, to ensure that all Airmen are fully 

prepared when they arrive in the combat zone.

Developing Airmen involves more than 

combat skills. It is a career-long process that 

maximizes the potential of each member of 

the Total Force team. We will look at every Airman as an individual and provide them 

with specialized training, relevant educational 

opportunities and appropriate assignments in 

order to capitalize on the talent these brave 

Airmen offer for this country’s defense.

Every Airman is a vital national resource 

and must be cared for as such. In addition 

to providing professional opportunities for 

our Airmen and fostering an environment of 

mutual respect, the Air Force is committed to 

investing in health and fitness programs and 

facilities, world class medical access and care, 

and housing and morale programs for our 

Airmen. Our Airmen have proven themselves 

to be the best America has to offer—they 

deserve the best support available.

By ensuring that our Airmen are prepared for 

combat, effectively developed and properly 

supported, we will continue to provide our 

Nation with the best Air Force in the world.

Maintenance, Modernization 

and Recapitalization 

One of our most daunting challenges is 

maintaining the military utility of our aircraft 

as reflected in mission readiness, maintenance 

costs and other factors. We have been actively 

engaged in combat for the past 15 years. We 

currently maintain an Air Bridge to Southwest 

Asia. Our state of alert for GWOT requires 

us to operate at an elevated and sustained 

operations tempo (OPSTEMPO). Increased investment and increased maintenance tempo 

can keep our older aircraft flying and slow 

their decaying military utility, but equipment 

age and use are unrelenting factors.

Presently, we have the oldest aircraft 

inventory in our history. Our aircraft are 

an average of over 23 years old—older in 

many cases than those who fly and maintain 

them. In particular, our inventory of tanker 

aircraft averages over 41 years old, and our 

C-130 tactical airlifters average over 25 years 

old. As our equipment ages, it requires more 

frequent maintenance and replacement of 

parts; meanwhile, increased OPSTEMPO 

accelerates wear and tear on our equipment 

and operational infrastructure, exposes our 

equipment to extreme conditions and, in some 

cases, delays routine maintenance.

We must recapitalize our aircraft and 

operational infrastructure, as well as 

modernize our processes for services, support 

and information delivery in order to maintain 

the grueling pace required into the foreseeable 
future. We must do so in a fiscally prudent 

manner. This means retiring and replacing 

our oldest, least capable and most expensive 

aircraft and equipment, as well as accepting a 

manageable level of risk in order to selectively 

maintain some older systems until newer 

systems are on the ramp.

These newer systems will cost far less to 

operate and maintain and are designed to 

defeat emerging threats. The U.S. no longer 

enjoys a monopoly on advanced technology, 

and we are already witnessing the emergence 

of highly sophisticated systems that threaten 

our capability to achieve Joint Air and Space 

Dominance. Along with ongoing robust 

science and technology (S&T) programs, 

transformational systems such as the F-22A 

Raptor, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), 

Space Radar (SR) and Transformational 

Communications Satellite (TSAT) will 

ensure that we maintain the ability to provide 

overwhelming air and space power for our 

Combatant Commanders.

Concurrently, the Air Force is also focusing 

on reforming, modernizing, and improving 

processes for acquisition of new systems and 

equipment. We will achieve greater efficiencies 

and higher productivity by reforming our 

business practices. By incorporating lean 

processes and transparent accounting, 

and reinforcing a culture of continuous 

improvement, the Air Force will maintain 

the high standards of our heritage. We will 

continue our tradition of transformation, realize 

both lethality and efficiency in our capabilities 

in this new century, and stand ready for the 

challenges of the future. 

The future is what you bring with you when 

tomorrow comes. Our 2006 Air Force Posture 

Statement outlines our flight plan into the future. 

By focusing on winning the GWOT, maintaining 

the excellence and maximizing the potential 

of the America’s Airmen, and maintaining, 

modernizing and recapitalizing our aircraft 

and equipment, we will provide Air and Space 

Dominance for U.S. forces well into the future. 

 

Air and Space Power 

Today – 

Building on Our Heritage

Current Security Environment

The current security environment is marked 

by seemingly constant change and uncertainty. 

Our security environment is also marked by 

the threats posed by terrorist organizations and 

rogue states around the world bearing ill will 

toward our Nation. In times of uncertainty 

and heightened threat, our citizens turn 

to the military to defend this great Nation 

at home and abroad. Our Airmen stand 

alongside Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Coast 

Guardsmen—a Joint team poised and ready to 

defend the Nation. 

Throughout the history of American air 

and space power, Airmen have often faced 

complex challenges during times of change 

and uncertainty—times when our Nation’s 

survival was at stake. In early 1945, General 

“Hap” Arnold reported to the Secretary of War, 

“...our Air Force must be flexible in its basic 

structure and capable of successfully adapting itself to the vast changes which are bound to 

come in the future. Whatever its numerical size 

may be, it must be second to none in range and 

striking power.” In retrospect, Hap Arnold’s 

words were amazingly prescient.

Today our force is still second to none in range 

and striking power. Potential adversaries, well 

aware of the strength of our Air Force, seek 

to limit our range and striking power through 

development of new and emerging threat 

systems. These systems, coupled with the 

proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, 

form a formidable threat to the Joint Force and 

to our Nation.

In order to achieve victory in the GWOT and 

meet the challenges of emerging threats, the 

Air Force looks to build on the great heritage 

established by decades of Airmen—Airmen 

who have confronted daunting challenges 

and succeeded as vital members of the Joint 

warfighting team. 

Global War on Terror (GWOT)

Several key elements—ideologies of hatred, 

vast resources, mutual support structures, as 

well as veiled state and private sponsorship—

provide linkages across the array of enemies 

confronting us in the GWOT. The general 

terrorist threat also spans several regions 

of the world, often acting on a global scale. 

While the strategy to prosecute and win the 

GWOT is an enterprise necessarily involving 

many agencies and actions in addition to 

military forces, the Air Force, in particular, 

serves a vital role in our Nation’s battle 

against terrorist networks.

America’s Airmen have become seasoned 

veterans of Post-Cold War conflicts and 

are postured to answer any contingency or 

challenge on a moments’ notice. The Air Force 

has been taking the war to America’s enemies 

for 15 consecutive years. Our constant 

presence in Southwest Asia since Operation 
DESERT SHIELD and DESERT STORM 

kept regional instability in check. Airpower 

effectively controlled two-thirds of Iraq for 

over a decade, setting the conditions for Iraq’s 

stunning military collapse in Operation IRAQI 

FREEDOM. 

Recognizing the new reality of rapidly 

emerging global threats in the Post-Cold War 

environment, the Air Force has significantly

reduced its force structure and transitioned 

from a Cold War legacy paradigm to a vastly 

more agile, responsive and scalable force 

structure built around the AEF concept. The 

AEF construct provides the Combatant 

Commanders and the Joint Force with the 

agility and lethality required to engage U.S. 

adversaries anywhere in the world with 

correctly tailored forces—all in a matter of 

hours to single-digit days. The AEF construct 

presents air and space forces in a continuous 

rotation cycle—currently a 20-month cycle 

with nominal 4-month deployments—and 

provides the Combatant Commands with 

greater capability and stability of forces in 

theater while providing more predictability for 

our Airmen.

As defined by our national leadership, the 

GWOT strategy seeks to reduce both the 

scope and capability of terrorist networks 

globally, regionally and locally. This strategy 

requires global perspective and regional focus. 

It also demands an ability to simultaneously 

conduct long-range strikes and humanitarian 

relief on opposite sides of the world. In 

order to execute effectively, the strategy 

requires unparalleled command, control, 

communications, computers, intelligence, 

surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR). 

These are all activities our Air Force conducts 

for the Joint Force on a daily basis—activities 

critical to successfully prosecuting the GWOT.

As an essential part of the Joint team, the Air 

Force contributed to defeating the Taliban and 

eliminating Afghanistan as a safe haven for al 

Qaeda. While the Air Force remains actively 

engaged in operations in Afghanistan, our 

national strategy is simultaneously focused on 

Iraq as the central front for the war on terror. 

While the United States and its partners have 

defeated Saddam Hussein’s regime of terror, 

the enemies of freedom—both members of 

the old regime and foreign terrorists who 

have come to Iraq—are making a desperate 

attempt in the name of tyranny and fascism to 

terrorize, destabilize and reclaim this newlyliberated nation and aspiring democracy.

The Air Force continues to lead the fight in 

defending the home front as well. The Air 

Force recently conducted an Air Force-Navy 

strategy conference addressing the GWOT and 

counterinsurgencies. The conference report 

forms the basis for an ongoing Air Force study 

to further improve the Air Force’s posture 

for Homeland Defense. The Air Force has 

also taken a leadership role in developing a 

Concept of Operations for Joint Maritime 

Interdiction to defend our shores and those 

of our allies. In addition, Air Force aircraft 

maintain a 24/7 alert status in defense of the 

United States and its approaches, against both airborne and maritime threats.

From a global perspective, we are continually 

bolstering Airman-to-Airman relationships with our allies and partners to build 

interoperable and complementary capabilities 

as well as to ensure access to foreign airspace 

and support infrastructure. We are using 

training, exercises, personnel exchanges, 

cooperative armaments development and 

foreign military sales to expand and cement 

these vital coalitions that are essential to 

prosecuting the GWOT and to our future Joint air operations. 

In addition, from local, regional and global 

perspectives, foreign internal defense is 

an indispensable component of successful 

counterinsurgency strategies. The Air Force is 

partnering with Special Operations Command 

to rapidly expand Air Force Foreign Internal 

Defense forces to bolster partner nations on 

the front lines of the GWOT. 

From direct support of Special Forces, to 

maritime interdiction, to Global Strike, the Air 

Force remains prepared to engage those who 

would threaten our friends, our interests, or 

our way of life.

Emerging Threats

The threats Airmen will encounter in the 

coming years are changing dramatically. 

Adversaries are developing and fielding new 

ground-based air defenses, improved sensor 

capabilities and advanced fighter aircraft. 

These capabilities will increasingly challenge 

our legacy aircraft, sensors and weapons 

systems.

Advances in integrated air defense systems, 

to include advanced sensors, data processing 

and SAMs continue trends noted in the 1990s. 

SAM systems are incorporating faster, more 

accurate missiles, with multi-target capability, 

greater mobility and increased immunity to 

electronic jamming. Currently possessing 

ranges of over 100 nautical miles (NM), 

these anti-access weapons will likely achieve 

ranges of over 200 NM by the end of the 

decade. These advanced SAMs can and will 

compel non-stealthy platforms to standoff 

beyond useful sensor and weapons ranges. 

Proliferation of these long-range SAMs is 

on the rise, with projections for 2004-2007 indicating a twofold increase over the number 

of advanced SAM system exports during the mid to late 1990s. 

Another trend is the development and 

proliferation of upgrades to older, 1960/70’sera SAMs. At a fraction of the cost of a new 

advanced, long-range SAM, many African, Asian 

and Mid-East nations are looking to upgrade 

older SAMs to revitalize their aging air defense 

forces. By bringing in modern technologies, improved missile propellants and increased 

mobility, older SAM systems are becoming more 

reliable and more credible threats. 
Finally, the threat from Man Portable Air 

Defense Systems (MANPADS) continues to 

grow. Large, poorly secured stockpiles of 

these weapons increase the chances of highly 

capable MANPADS ending up in the hands of 

an insurgent or terrorist group.

The threats from advanced fighter aircraft 

also continue to grow. Currently there exist 

31 nations already fielding 2,500 or more 

airframes. Increased use of state-of-the-art 

radar jammers, avionics, weapons and reduced 

signature airframes/engines are becoming 

the norm in fighter design. Additionally, 

countries like India and China are now able 

to produce their own advanced fighters, 

thereby increasing the quantity and quality 

of adversary aircraft the Air Force may face 

in the future. By 2012, China will more than 

double its advanced fighter inventory to over 

500 airframes, most with advanced precisionguided munitions and air-to-air weapons. 

Similarly, self-protection jamming suites 

are growing in complexity and proliferation, 

potentially eroding our ability to target 

adversary aircraft.

The threat from the development, fielding 

and proliferation of standoff weapons such 

as long-range cruise missiles will also 

provide potential adversaries with offensive 

capabilities of ever-increasing accuracy and 

range which, when combined with their 

relatively small size, presents an increasing 

challenge to detection and tracking.

Many nations are enhancing the utility of 

advanced fighters by pursuing, procuring and integrating support aircraft as force multipliers. 

They acquire aerial refueling tankers to extend 

the range of strike operations and increase onstation time for fighters. Furthermore, airborne 

early warning aircraft are extending the reach 

of many nations through datalink capabilities 

that provide control of fighter operations 

well beyond the reach of land-based radars. 

Several nations are also purchasing standoff 

jamming assets in both manned and unmanned 

platforms to attempt to deny our traditional 

sensor advantages. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles 

(UAVs) of all varieties are in high demand and 

are becoming increasingly available on today’s 

market, providing low-cost, but highly effective 

reconnaissance capabilities. This situation 

represents a new and increasingly prolific and 

complex challenge on the battlefield.

Additionally, the combination of improved 

C4ISR with improved ballistic and cruise 

missile capabilities will increasingly threaten 

regional and expeditionary Air Force 

basing. China, in particular, has a growing 

over-the-horizon intelligence, surveillance 

and reconnaissance (ISR) capability from 

a combination of ground, air and spacebased systems. Coupled with its large and 

growing inventory of conventionally armed 

theater ballistic missiles, China’s increasing 

capabilities and reach collectively present a 

serious potential to adversely impact allied 

and Joint air and space operations across the 

Asian theater.

Worldwide advancements in the development, 

deployment and employment of foreign space 

and counterspace systems are challenges 

to U.S. Space Superiority. Adversaries, 

including terrorists, are more and more 

easily obtaining a number of increasingly 

sophisticated space services. Furthermore, 

they are developing the means to degrade 

U.S. space capabilities, freedom of action 

and access. The intent of U.S. adversaries 

combined with the capabilities of foreign 

space and counterspace systems will 

increasingly threaten U.S. military forces and interests worldwide. 

Threat of WMD Proliferation

The threat of proliferation of WMD to 

countries with advanced military capabilities 

has changed dramatically since the end of 

the Cold War. India and Pakistan became 

overt nuclear powers in 1998, adding to their 

formidable conventional capabilities. North 

Korea claims and is assessed to have built 

nuclear weapons, while Iran is suspected of 

pursuing them; both countries face intense international pressure to halt their efforts.

Less catastrophic, but of equal concern, are 

chemical and biological weapons (CBW). 

Chem-bio WMDs can range in sophistication 

from World War I-vintage gases or traditional 

agents like anthrax, to highly advanced 

“fourth-generation” chemical agents or 

genetically modified bacterial or viral weapons 

that challenge state-of-the-art defenses and 

countermeasures. It is much less expensive 

and more technologically feasible to produce 

CBW than it is to obtain nuclear weapons or 

fissile materials. Furthermore, CBW can be 

concealed very effectively and inexpensively, 

veiled under a veneer of legitimate civilian 

industry or “dual-use” activities. 

Future adversaries, deterred from challenging 

the U.S. openly, may seek to offset U.S. 

warfighting advantages by developing, using 

or threatening to use these weapons. As 

such, the acquisition of WMD capabilities by 

terrorists/non-state actors is a grave concern. 

Many groups have declared their desire to 

pursue such a goal, and evidence is growing 

they are attempting to obtain the necessary 

financial means, weapons knowledge and 

necessary materials.

Airmen, Soldiers, 

Sailors and Marines 

side by side in Iraq
10 11

The interdependent 

battlespace presents 

new challenges 

in air, space and 

cyberspace
12 13

Linking precision engagement and persistent 

C4ISR capabilities to forces on the ground, 

ROVER has been used repeatedly to detect, 

target and destroy improvised explosive 

devices (IEDs) and disrupt insurgent activities 

across the region. Bolstering these capabilities 

are Tactical Airborne Reconnaissance System 

(TARS) equipped F-16s flown by Air National 

Guard units. In recent testing, TARS has 

demonstrated the ability to aid in the location 

and destruction of IEDs.

Air Force operations in Iraq and Afghanistan 

also highlight the importance of space-based 

C4ISR capabilities to U.S. and Coalition 

forces. These capabilities have become 

integral to effective warfighting operations 

and include secure communications, global 

weather, persistent worldwide missile warning 

and intelligence gathering. Commanders 

continue to rely extensively on the all-weather 

precise position, navigation and timing 

capability provided by the Air Force’s Global 

Positioning System (GPS) constellation, 

satellite communications (SATCOM) and 

timely observations of weather and enemy 

activity to conduct operations in Iraq and 

Afghanistan. In strikes against time-sensitive 

targets, nearly 40% of all munitions used in 

OIF were GPS-guided, which made them 

unaffected by sand storms and inclement 

weather. Additionally, at the senior leadership 

level of warfighting, the Joint Force Air 

and Space Component Commander’s duties 

as the Space Coordination Authority have 

become critical to successful Joint planning 

and execution of space capabilities for Joint 

Forces. Holding the ultimate high ground, 

Air Force space professionals keep a constant 

vigil over a global battle space – planning, 

acquiring, maintaining and operating the 

systems that sustain our Nation’s advantages in space.

Sister-services and U.S. government 

agencies continue to heavily rely on Air 

Force capabilities. Running the spectrum 

from logistics expertise to medical care, the 

Air Force is fully partnered with the Army 

and Marine Corps units running convoys 

throughout Iraq with more than 1,000 

transportation, security forces and medical 

Airmen trained to support convoy missions. 

Moreover, Air Force capabilities are 

saving Soldiers’ lives and simultaneously 

reducing our required footprint in Southwest 

Asia. Increased use of Air Force airlift 

capabilities—notably the unconventional yet 

highly effective use of workhorse C-17s as well 

as C-5 aircraft to increase our intra-theater 

airlift capabilities in Iraq—has dramatically 

reduced the need, number and frequency of 

ground convoys along the most dangerous 

roads and routes in Iraq. These capabilities 

and optimized theater airlift mission planning 

methods have also contributed to a planned 

reduction of the number C-130s required for 

OIF support.

Additionally, Air Force support personnel 

are taking a more active role in the direct 

protection of personnel and resources. In 

early 2005, Air Force Security Forces at Balad 

Air Base, Iraq, in conjunction with the Army, 

were assigned a sector outside the base to 

patrol and clear of insurgent operations. This 

aspect of the air base defense mission has not 

been seen since the Vietnam War, yet Task 

Force 1041 was successful in reducing attacks 

on Balad Air Base by 95%.

Airmen also worked to strengthen 

relationships, develop capabilities and enhance 

the self-reliance of Afghanistan, Iraq, and 

other regional GWOT partners. For example, 

Air Force Air Traffic Controllers helped return 

safety and commercial viability to Afghan 

airspace. At Ali Airbase, Iraq, a cadre of Air 

Air Force Contributions 

to OIF, OEF and ONE

Air and Space Operations 

in OIF and OEF

Over 26,000 Airmen are currently forward 

deployed in support of Combatant 

Commanders throughout the world. These 

Airmen continue to deliver key Air Force 

capabilities of precision engagement, rapid 

global mobility and information superiority to 

OEF and OIF missions.

Pulling from 89,000 tailored deployment 

teams built around specific capabilities, the 

Air Force has flown the preponderance of 

Coalition sorties in support of OIF and OEF. 

In Iraq, the Air Force has flown over 188,000 

sorties, while in Afghanistan, Airmen have 

flown over 130,000. Overall, the Air Force 

has flown a total of over 318,000 sorties, or 

approximately 78% of the total Coalition air effort. Counted among these sorties are missions ranging from airlift and aeromedical 

evacuation, to close air support (CAS) missions to protect ground troops as well as 

provide them with precise fire support and 

sensor capabilities.

In 2005, Air Force fighters and bombers 

supporting OIF and OEF expended over 

294 munitions (bombs), 90% of which were 

precision-guided, including the Joint Direct 

Attack Munition (JDAM). These trends 

represent a 10% increase over 2004 totals 

in the use of precision-guided munitions 

(PGMs). Our Airmen have also provided 

nearly all of the in-flight refueling for Joint 

and Coalition forces.

Leading the way in reconnaissance and 

imagery, the Air Force is currently flying 

Predator UAV missions 24 hours a day, 7 

days a week. This capability will grow from 

8 to 12 total orbits in 2006 to meet increased 

demand. Predator aircraft are able to transmit 

live video pictures to ground-based targeting 

teams equipped with the Remote Operations 

Video Enhanced Receiver (ROVER) system. 

Airmen preparing 

a Predator for a 

mission in Iraq
14 15

Force instructors taught Iraqi airmen how to 

fly and maintain their newly acquired C-130 

aircraft. In Kyrgyzstan, Air Force C-130s 

air-dropped U.S. Army and Kyrgyz National 

Guard troops over a drop zone in the capital 

of Bishkek during a joint training exercise. 

Additionally, United Arab Emirates (UAE) 

recently acquired American-made F-16 Block60 aircraft. This acquisition provides them 

with cutting edge aviation technology and a 

capability complementary to the UAE’s new 

Gulf Air Warfare Center, which has become 

a tremendously successful training venue for 

our regional and global Coalition partners.

Finally, Air Force innovations in C2 

technologies have allowed Airmen to 

seamlessly automate and integrate efforts of 

critical air assets. The systems baseline in use 

in the Falconer Air and Space Operations Center 

(AOC) at Al Udeid has improved automated 

support for the daily air tasking orders, while 

the capabilities of the Battle Control SystemMobile communications module reduces the 

number of Airmen needed at forward locations 

in Iraq, resulting in fewer Airmen exposed to 

hostile fire. 

Air and Space 

Operations in ONE

While engaged in OEF and OIF, the Air Force 

simultaneously contributes to Operation 

NOBLE EAGLE—the defense of the 

homeland. Through a variety of efforts, the 

Air Force continues to guard the skies of our 

Nation from coast to coast. The Air Force’s 

principal Homeland Defense mission is Air 

Defense and preserving the air sovereignty of 

the United States and its territories. 

Since 9/11, over 41,000 fighter, aerial 

refueling and airborne early warning sorties 

have been flown in defense of the U.S., while 

over 2,000 air patrols have responded to actual 

incidents and suspicious flight operations. 

This is a true Total Force mission, leveraging 

the combined capabilities of the Air Force 

Reserve, Air National Guard and Regular 

Air Force components to provide seamlessly 

orchestrated C2 and refueling support for 

fighter aircraft operating from alert sites 

throughout the U.S. 

The range, flexibility, persistence and 

precision inherent in U.S. air and space power 

provide Joint warfighters with a unique tool 

set for creating war-winning results with 

a relatively small footprint. Air and space 

operations stand ready to continue providing 

these important resources to OIF, OEF and 

ONE, as well as exploring new ways to lead 

the way in the GWOT.

Air and Space Power–

An Essential Element 

of the Joint Fight

Innovation is a central theme in Air Force 

heritage. It is a strength the Air Force 

lends to the overall effort to transform Joint 

operations into a more seamless, integrated 

and interdependent team effort. U.S. military 

performance during ongoing operations in Iraq 

and Afghanistan demonstrates unprecedented 

Joint interdependence. We’ve gone from 

struggling with C2 and coordination of air 

and ground forces on the battlefields of 

Operation DESERT STORM to demonstrating 

a high degree of integration among Joint and 

Coalition forces engaged in OIF.

Overall success of future interdependent Joint 

Force efforts will place greater demands on 

Air Force capabilities. As ground forces 

seek to increase their agility and speed, 

they will rely increasingly on air and 

space power to move them throughout the 

battlespace; provide the information needed to 

outmaneuver numerically superior or elusive 

adversaries; and deliver precise, rapid strikes 

across multiple, distributed operations areas. 

The future Joint Force concept of Seabasing, 

as yet another means to project power and 

support ground forces, further underscores 

the requirements for land-based air and space 

power. Clearly, the need for rapid mobility, 

persistent C4ISR and precision engagement 

will only increase in the future.

Concurrently, as we reduce prepared, 

garrisoned overseas bases in the out-years, 

the Air Force will increasingly operate from 

expeditionary air bases. The Air Force, 

having transformed over the past fifteen years 

to an AEF construct and culture, continues to 

innovate and evolve with new expeditionary 

concepts. AEF contingency response groups 

(CRGs) are organized, trained and equipped 

to provide an initial “Open the Base” 

capability to Combatant Commanders. The 

theater CRG provides a rapid response team 

to assess operating location suitability and 

defines combat support capabilities needed to 

AEF operating locations. In addition, Basic 
16 17

Expeditionary Airfield Resources (BEAR) 

will provide the scalable capability necessary 

to open and operate any austere airbase 

across the spectrum of AEF contingency or 

humanitarian operations. BEAR will provide 

vital equipment, facilities and supplies 

necessary to beddown, support and operate 

AEF assets at expeditionary airbases with limited infrastructure and support facilities. 

Battlefield Airmen

Airmen are increasingly engaged beyond 

the airbase and “outside the wire,” bringing 

ingenuity and technology to Joint warfighting 

on the ground by using advanced systems 

to designate targets, control aircraft, rescue 

personnel and gather vital meteorological data. 

The Air Force is optimizing this family of 

specialties, known as Battlefield Airmen. So 

far, we have identified program management, 

acquisition and sustainment synergies across 

the Combat Rescue, Combat Control, Terminal 

Attack Control and Special Operations Weather 

functional areas. Air Force personnel are an 

integral part of the battlespace, and we are 

continuously identifying and updating common 

training requirements for these Airmen.

We are organizing Battlefield Airmen for 

maximum effectiveness in the modern 

battlespace. In addition, we will train Battlefield 

Airmen in the skills required to maximize 

airpower and standardize that training across 

those Battlefield Airmen. Finally, we must 

equip our Battlefield Airmen with improved, 

standardized equipment for missions in the 

forward and deep battlespace. This will expand 

the commander’s ability to employ battlefield airpower professionals able to integrate 

unequaled accuracy, responsiveness, flexibility 

and persistence into air operations supporting 

Joint ground forces.

From forward positions, Joint Terminal Attack 

Controllers (JTACs), a subset of Battlefield 

Airmen, direct the action of combat aircraft 

engaged in CAS and other offensive air operations. 

Recently JTACs have become recognized across 

the Department of Defense (DoD) as fully qualified 

and authorized to perform terminal attack control in 

accordance with a Joint standard. 

In addition to night vision equipment, JTACs 

carry a hardened laptop computer and multichannel radio. We’ve significantly reduced the 

weight these Battlefield Airmen must carry while 

simultaneously providing them with greater 

ability to perform critical tasks such as designate 

targets ranging up to several kilometers away. 

We are striving to further decrease the weight of 

their gear while increasing the capabilities and 

interoperability of their equipment with other air, 

space and ground assets. This combination 

of technology facilitates the direct transfer of 

information to combat aircraft, minimizing 

errors in data transfer. This equipment will 

increase situational awareness, assist in 

combat identification, maximize first-attack 

success, shorten the kill-chain and provide 

better support to ground forces.

Innovative Uses of Technology

Innovation—our Air Force heritage and 

strength—is critical to success in defeating 

enemies on the battlefield as well as in 

defending our homeland. Each day, Airmen 

across the world produce military effects 

for the Joint team through ingenuity or with 

advancements in technology.

To meet U.S. Central Command’s 

(CENTCOM’s) urgent operational needs, the 

Air Force is accelerating the modification 

of our Sniper and LITENING Advanced 

Targeting Pods (ATPs) with video datalink 

transmitters to share information more rapidly. 

The high resolution images from our targeting 

pod TV and infrared video is generations 

better than the Low Altitude Navigation and 

Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) 

pods used during previous conflicts, and they 

provide tactical information in greater volume 

and relevance than ever before. 

The Air Force is quickly adapting new tactics, 

techniques and procedures for integrating the 

ROVER III and ATPs into Non-Traditional 

Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance 

(NTISR) missions. These include convoy 

escort, raid support and infrastructure 

protection missions in addition to traditional 

CAS missions. Equipped with air-ground 

weapons, our ATP-equipped aircraft have the 

flexibility to provide responsive firepower and 

unprecedented tactical reconnaissance, making 

our fighters and bombers more effective and 

versatile than ever. 

Furthermore, some ROVER IIIs were diverted 

to support Disaster Relief and Humanitarian 

Assistance in the aftermath of Hurricanes 

Katrina and Rita. Instead of flying ATPs on 

fighter or bomber aircraft, we located video 

transmitters on rooftops or attached them to 

helicopters to provide overhead video streams to 

the recovery teams equipped with ROVER III.

Predator UAV systems continue to 

demonstrate the Air Force penchant for 

innovative application of technology for 

fighting the GWOT. Current operations 

allow Airmen in Nevada to pilot and 

control Predators operating in the Iraq and 

Afghanistan theaters of operations. Increasing 

experience in these novel approaches to flight 

and mission control operations have led to 

revolutionary advances in the execution of 

military capability. 

Equipped with an electro-optical, infrared, 

and laser designator sensor, and armed with 

Hellfire missiles, Predator has not only 

shortened the sensor-to-shooter timeline— it 

A mobile 

forward 

surgical team 

“saddles 

up” before a 

mission

An A-10 pilot checks his Litening Precision 

Targeting pod before a mission in Afghanistan

Airmen offload 

supplies 

from a C-17 

in Pakistan 

to support 

earthquake 

relief operations
18 19

The RC-135 RIVET JOINT continues to field 

improvements in tactical SIGINT capabilities 

and platform performance, including reengining and avionics modernization, 

to support the full spectrum of combat 

operations and national information needs. 

Additionally, RIVET JOINT has become 

the cornerstone for airborne net-centric 

development. RIVET JOINT plays a key 

role in the Network-Centric Collaborative 

Targeting Advanced Concept Technology 

Demonstration and serves as the platform of 

choice for implementation of new reachback 

technologies to enhance national and tactical 

integration. Adding yet another chapter to 

RIVET JOINT’s continuous record of support 

to CENTCOM since 1990, the platform flew 

over 550 airborne reconnaissance missions in 

support of OEF and OIF.

Aeromedical Evacuations

As early as 1918, the military has used 

aircraft to move the wounded. The Air 

Force continued this proud tradition with 

the aeromedical evacuation of over 11,000 

wounded personnel from Afghanistan and 

Iraq. The aeromedical evacuation system 

has transformed to ensure the Air Force can 

conduct rapid and precise operations in an 

expeditionary environment. The placement 

of aeromedical crews in forward locations 

continues the chain of survival that starts on 

the battlefield with self-aid and buddy care. 

The chain continues through Expeditionary 

Medical Support hospitals, to aeromedical 

in-flight care and finally to stateside 

medical centers within as little as 72 hours. 

Expeditionary aeromedical operations reduce 

the necessity and large footprint of theater 

medical assets and conserve valuable health 

care resources.

The force mix of aeromedical evacuation 

crewmembers consists of 12% Regular Air 

Force and 88% Air Reserve Component. This 

use of the Total Force was best demonstrated in the fall of 2005 during the swift aeromedical 

evacuation of over 3,800 sick and elderly people 

threatened by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

As modern medicine evolves, the 

aeromedical system continues to adapt 

to meet future challenges. The Air Force 

continues to lean forward by looking at 

future threats such as biological warfare. We 

are leading the way in the development of a litter transportable patient isolation unit for 

the movement of contaminated patients. The 

aeromedical evacuation system demonstrates 

the Air Force’s commitment to providing the 

best capabilities to the Joint team and our 

Coalition partners.

has allowed the sensor to become the shooter. Since 1995 Predator has amassed over 

120,000 total flying hours. From January 

through September of 2005, Predators logged 

more than 30,000 flight hours, over 80% 

of which were in direct support of combat 

operations. In August 2005, the Predator 

program flew 4 aircraft controlled by a single 

pilot and ground control station, successfully 

demonstrating the Multiple Aircraft Control 

concept. 

Complementing the Predator’s capabilities, 

the Global Hawk is a high altitude, long 

endurance, Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA). 

Through the innovative use of synthetic 

aperture radar as well as electro-optical and 

infrared sensors, Global Hawk provides 

the Joint warfighter persistent observation 

of targets through night, day and adverse 

weather. Global Hawk collects against 

spot targets and surveys large geographic 

areas with pinpoint accuracy, providing 

Combatant Commanders with the most current 

information about enemy location, resources 

and personnel. The Global Hawk program 

is delivering production systems to the 

warfighter now and is in constant demand by 

Combatant Commanders.

Since its first flight in 1998, Global Hawk has 

flown over 8,000 hours—including over 4,900 

combat hours and over 230 combat missions 

with prototype systems deployed in support 

of GWOT. In OIF and OEF the prototype 

systems have produced over 57,000 images. 

The long established ISR stalwart, the RC-135 

continues to demonstrate its adaptability to 

a changing and evolving threat environment 

with the application of progressive 

technologies and upgrade programs. 

An Airman provides 

force protection for 

workers rebuilding a 

cement plant in Iraq Aeromedical evacuation crewmembers transport 

an injured soldier during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM

RC-135 Rivet Joint 

provides near 

real time, onscene intelligence 

collection, analysis 

and dissemination 

capabilities
20 21

Adaptive Airmen: Airmen 

Filling Non-traditional Roles

Presently, Airmen are meeting the challenges 

of filling CENTCOM shortfalls in several 

critical roles which are non-traditional for 

Airmen, including Convoy Support, Detainee 

Operations, Protective Service details, Law 

and Order Detachments, Military Transition 

Teams and Provincial Reconstitution Teams. 

Detainee Operations and Convoy Support are 

our most heavily supported missions. Airmen 

attend training at Fort Lewis, WA or Fort 

Dix, NJ where they learn the fundamentals of 

detainee security, handling and interaction. At 

the conclusion of this training, Airmen move 

forward to a detainee facility in theater and 

receive additional on site training. Airmen 

provide Convoy Support in the form of heavy 

weapons teams supporting long haul convoy 

operations. These Airmen attend heavy 

weapons training followed by a convoytraining course. From that training platform, 

Airmen deploy forward to support theater 

operations.

Air Force intelligence personnel are also 

fulfilling non-standard, unconventional roles 

as members of the Joint team. Air Force 

intelligence analysts attend the Enhanced 

Analyst and Interrogation Training Course 

at Fort Huachuca, AZ, where they learn to 

provide analytical support for interrogations. 

At the conclusion of this training, intelligence 

personnel deploy forward as part of the 

interrogator teams to Joint Interrogation 

Detention Centers in Southwest Asia.

Law and Order Detachments provide vital 

Joint support missions throughout the Area 

of Operations. In this capacity, Air Force 

security forces personnel provide garrison 

law enforcement and security. Never routine, 

these missions occasionally support operations 

outside the confines of an installation.

Military Transition Teams are comprised of 

specially trained personnel who work within 

the organizations of indigenous forces. They 

are responsible for training these forces 

to support and sustain themselves without 

the assistance of advisors. Provincial 

Reconstruction Teams are organizations that 

move into a different region within the Area 

of Operations and provide additional support, 

training and sustainment.

With the exception of the Law and Order 

Detachments, none of these missions 

fall within the traditional skill mix of 

Air Force Security Forces. Additional 

training varies from one to five months, 

and deployments are normally longer than 

the standard 120-day deployment. We are 

understandably proud of the outstanding 

adaptability and professionalism with which 

our Airmen have filled the shortfalls in 

required skillsets on the Joint roster and 

accomplished these non-traditional yet 

critical missions on behalf of the Joint team.

Other Operations

In addition to our major contingencies and 

defense of the homeland, the Air Force 

remains engaged in numerous other operations 

around the world ranging from humanitarian 

relief and disaster response to maintaining our 

strategic nuclear forces and space assets. The 

presence of forward deployed forces is just the 

leading edge of a greater effort representing 

the totality of Air Force daily support to the 

Combatant Commanders.

Humanitarian and Disaster 

Relief Operations

In December 2004, nearly sixty years after 

the great Berlin Airlift of 1948-1949, the Air 

Force, while fully engaged in operations in 

Afghanistan and Iraq, once again answered the 

call for help in the wake of the tsunami that 

devastated Indonesia and South Asia—one 

of the worst natural disasters in history. Our 

Airmen responded immediately, and in the 

course of the first 47 days following the disaster led an allied effort that airlifted over 

24 million pounds of relief supplies and over 

8,000 people. The entire world witnessed the 

absolute best of America at work—agility, 

strength, resolve and compassion—just as it 

had witnessed nearly sixty years before.

At home, the Air Force leveraged the agility, 

scalability and responsiveness inherent in our 

C-5 Galaxy evacuates 

hospital patients from the 

path of Hurricane Rita

Pararescueman lifts a young boy to safety 

from the roof of the child’s flooded home after 

Hurricane Katrina
22 23

Program (SLEP) to maintain a viable and 

flexible bomber-delivered weapon. Additionally, 

the Department of Energy is conducting a SLEP 

on the cruise missile warhead. 

The Air Force is committed to the New Triad 

and the associated nuclear C2 systems. To 

provide survivable strategic communications, 

the Air Force fielded and currently operates the 

Milstar SATCOM system. We are preparing 

to field the next generation Advanced EHF 

SATCOM system to replace it, as well as a 

single terminal to provide reliable, redundant 

and secure radio and satellite communication 

links with Minuteman ICBM forces. The Air 

Force recognizes the importance of the Nation’s 

nuclear C2 resources and will continue to 

pursue the New Triad strategy for our strategic 

systems to ensure they are always ready to 

respond to the direction of our national leaders.

Space Support for Operations

The U.S. depends upon the Air Force to 

supply critical space capabilities to meet the 

needs of Joint operations worldwide, and 

also the needs of national missions across 

the instruments of diplomatic, informational, 

military and economic power. The National 

Security Strategy commits us to assuring allies, 

dissuading military competition, deterring 

threats and decisively defeating adversaries. 

The robust space capabilities our Airmen 

provide and maintain will continue to ensure 

our Nation’s goals are met.

AEF structure and culture to speed support to 

civil authorities for Hurricanes Katrina and 

Rita. Hurricane Katrina devastated an entire 

region of the southern U.S. While destruction 

of infrastructure stifled ground transportation, 

Airmen continued to reach flooded areas and 

bring relief. The Air Force flew over 5,000 

sorties, airlifting more than 30,000 passengers 

and 16,000 tons of cargo and accomplishing 

5,500 search and rescue saves. Additionally, 

Air Force operations were a Total Force effort, 

incorporating Guard and Reserve capabilities into airlift and rescue operations as well as 

into the establishment of state-of-the-art 

medical facilities that treated over 17,000 

patients.

Air Force support during Hurricane Katrina 

and Rita recovery operations illustrated how 

persistent C4ISR can integrate with other 

agencies and proved critical to supporting 

U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) 

and the Department of Homeland Security 

during civil support operations. Our airborne 

reconnaissance platforms, ranging from C130s to U-2s, combined with military satellite 

communications (MILSATCOM) capabilities 

like the Global Broadcast Service (GBS), 

provided detailed imagery critical for decision 

makers and aided in directing relief efforts to 

the worst hit areas.

Additionally, our civilian auxiliary, the Civil 

Air Patrol (CAP) provided capability to 

NORTHCOM, federal agencies and state and 

local governments during all phases of the 

hurricane rescue and relief efforts. The CAP 

provided nearly 2,000 hours of air and ground 

search and rescue, airborne reconnaissance 

and air transport of key personnel. The CAP 

leveraged the skills and vigilance of 60,000 

non-paid volunteers in over 1,700 units to 

bolster the Nation’s defense during these 

national crises.

Future natural disasters and relief operations 

will likely be similar to those faced by the 

U.S. over the past year. Major populations 

requiring immense support are often isolated 

from the infrastructure that is their lifeline. 

Airpower provides the capability to overcome 

terrestrial obstacles and deliver aid directly 

to those in need. Always seeking new ways 

to innovate and improve, the Air Force will 

continue its ongoing transition to a force with 

unprecedented capability for civil support and 

Homeland Defense.

Maintaining Our 

Nuclear Deterrent

The DoD’s new strategy of employing a 

capability-based approach vs. threat-based 

approach to planning led to the ongoing 

transformation of the existing triad of 

U.S. strategic nuclear forces, consisting of 

intercontinental and sea-launched ballistic missiles and bomber aircraft armed with cru

ise 

missiles and gravity weapons, into a New Triad 

composed of a diverse portfolio of systems. 

Elements of the New Triad will include nuclear 

and non-nuclear strike capabilities, active 

and passive defenses, and robust research 

and development programs and industrial 

infrastructure for developing, building, and 

maintaining offensive and defensive weapon 

systems. Maintaining our traditional nuclear 

strategic forces is a key capability in an effective 

New Triad.

National Security Presidential Directives 

outline the future force structure and 

requirements for U.S. nuclear forces. To meet 

National Military Strategy, Nuclear Posture 

Review and the Moscow Treaty requirements, 

near-term capability and sustainment 

improvements must be made to the legacy 

forces while development and procurement of 

follow-on systems proceed. These efforts will 

enable Air Force nuclear forces to continue to 

provide critical capabilities to policy makers. 

The nuclear forces will dissuade current and 

potential adversaries from pursuing policies or 

military initiatives that are unfavorable to our interests or those of our allies.

Our Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) 

and cruise missiles are poised to decisively 

defeat an adversary if deterrence fails. The 

cruise missile inventory, both Air Launched 

Cruise Missile and Advanced Cruise Missile, is 

being upgraded through a Service Life Extension 
24 25

As the DoD Executive Agent for Space, the 

Under Secretary of the Air Force released a 

coordinated National Protection Framework 

in 2005. This framework will aid senior 

decision makers by stating how space 

systems will be expected to operate during 

and following an intentional attack. The 

framework supports senior leaders in creating 

a Total Force solution across the national 

security space community. Air Force satellite 

communications will ensure our Nation’s 

leaders can communicate globally through 

times of crisis while providing warfighters instant access to information. As evidenced 

by the hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico, 

space environmental monitoring has become 

essential in saving lives and property as well 

as ensuring ground, sea and air forces prepare 

effectively for weather impacts. 

In support of worldwide military operations, 

the Air Force launched eight DoD and 

National satellite systems in 2005 from Air 

Force-managed and maintained launch ranges 

at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida 

and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. 

That number is expected to increase to 13 

in 2006 as the Evolved Expendable Launch 

Vehicle (EELV) program takes over as the 

foundation for U.S. assured access to space.

We have seen the first challenges to U.S. 

advantages gained from space assets. During 

OIF, the Iraqis employed GPS jammers in 

an attempt to reduce the precision of U.S. 

and allied strikes. We defeated this threat 

through a variety of methods including 

space system design, munitions design and 

tactics development to operate in a GPShostile environment. As technology develops 

and becomes available to more countries, 

organizations and individuals, new types 

of threats to space capabilities will emerge. 

Preparation now using non-materiel and 

materiel solutions to address the variety of 

potential realistic threats will lead to continued 

success in the battlespace. 

Comprehensive space situation awareness 

(SSA) and defensive and offensive 

counterspace capabilities are the foundational 

elements of our Space Superiority efforts. 

Enhanced ground-based and new spacebased SSA assets will provide the necessary information to gain and maintain space 

superiority. With respect to defensive 

counterspace, we maintain a diversified 

ground-based C2 network, and we are 

developing increased protection for our 

satellites and space-based services to ensure 

the vital capabilities they provide are available 

when needed. We also recently fielded the 

Counter-Communications System to deny 

these same services to our adversaries. A 

well-balanced, multi-tiered architecture 

enables execution of a robust, effective space 

superiority strategy.

Even as the first challenges to our Space 

Superiority have arisen, the Air Force is 

already working toward responses to the next 

set of potential challenges. First, the U.S. 

would like to deter potential adversaries from 

attacking or exploiting our space capabilities. 

To accomplish this objective, worldwide space 

operations must be monitored, assessed and 

understood. SSA involves those capabilities 

that allow the interagency and Joint 

communities to find, fix, track, characterize 

and assess space operations on orbit and 

inside the various Combatant Commanders’ 

areas of responsibility. SSA capabilities will 

allow the Air Force or other members of 

the Joint community to target, if necessary, 

our adversaries’ space capabilities. As part 

of the C2 process, we will evaluate options 

ranging from diplomatic to economic to 

military actions to determine the best flexible 

option to achieve the desired outcome. By 

understanding how friendly and hostile actors 

are leveraging these space capabilities in 

their operations, senior decision makers can 

deter potential adversaries while preventing 

unnecessary escalation and allowing for a 

range of response options to meet national 

objectives. 

The Air Force will protect space capabilities 

vital to the success of the Joint Force and 

the defense and prosperity of our great 

Nation. Some defensive measures will be integrated into new satellite designs. Other 

space systems, such as the Rapid Attack 

Identification Detection and Reporting System 

(RAIDRS) will be specifically designed to 

conduct defensive operations. We are also 

leaning forward on the development of new 

tactics, techniques and procedures to mitigate 

potential threats to Air Force space systems. 

Furthermore, experimentation has aided us 

immensely by facilitating risk reduction 

and providing interim defensive capabilities 

today—RAIDRS is an excellent example. The 

Air Force developed a prototype RAIDRS and 

demonstrated the capabilities of the system 

during Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 

2004 (JEFX 04). The inclusion of this 

prototype laid the groundwork for both tactics 

development and for design improvements for 

future development programs. As a result of 

JEFX 04, CENTCOM requested this prototype 

to support real-time Joint operations in theater. 

The results and lessons of this operational 

employment will certainly shape future 

capabilities by improving our understanding 

and providing further opportunities for 

innovation.

Air and Space Power 

for Tomorrow – 

Aiming for the 

Unlimited Horizon

Priorities

Developing and Caring 

for Our Airmen

Force Shaping

For the past 18 months, the Air Force has 

reduced our active duty end strength to 

Congressionally authorized levels taking 

action to relieve some of our most stressed 

career fields. The 2004-2005 Force Shaping 

Program allowed officers and enlisted 

personnel to separate from active duty service 

earlier than they would otherwise have been 

eligible. In addition to voluntary force 

Air Force scientists prepare 

an experiment for the 

International Space Station
26 27

shaping measures, the Air Force significantly 

reduced enlisted accessions in 2005 to help 

meet our Congressional mandate. 

While the Air Force met our 2005 end strength 

requirement, we began 2006 with a force 

imbalance: a shortage of enlisted personnel 

and an excess of officer personnel, principally 

among those officers commissioned from 

2000 to 2004. This imbalance created several 

unacceptable operational and budgetary 

impacts. Consequently, the Air Force took 

several actions to ensure our force is correctly 

sized and shaped to meet future challenges 

and to reduce unprogrammed military pay 

costs. First, we increased our enlisted 

accession target for 2006 to address the 

enlisted imbalance. Second, we continued to 

encourage qualified officers, especially those 

commissioned in 2000 and later, to consider 

voluntary options to accept service in the 

Air National Guard, Air Force Reserve, civil 

service, or as an inter-service transfer to the 

Army.

Additionally, we are institutionalizing the 

force shaping authority granted in the 2005 

National Defense Authorization Act to 

restructure our junior officer force. Only after 

exhausting all efforts to reduce officer end 

strength by voluntary means, the Air Force 

will convene a Force Shaping Board in 2006 

to consider the performance and potential of 

all eligible officers commissioned in 2002 

and 2003. This board will be held annually 

thereafter, as required, to properly shape 

and manage the officer corps to meet the 

emerging needs of the Air Force. Essentially, 

the Force Shaping Board will select officers 

for continued service in our Air Force. 

Current projections indicate that we need 

about 7,800 of these eligible officers (2002 

and 2003 year groups) to continue on active 

duty. Approximately 1,900 officers will be 

subject to the force reduction. Exercising this 

authority is difficult, but our guiding principle is simple—we must manage our force to 

ensure the Air Force is properly sized, shaped 

and organized to meet the global challenges of 

today and tomorrow.

Balancing the Total Force

In addition to maintaining and shaping the 

active duty force, we must continue to focus 

on the balance of forces and specialties 

between Regular, Air National Guard and 

Reserve components—the Total Force. We 

are diligently examining the capabilities 

we need to provide to the warfighter and to 

operate and train at home. We continue to 

realign manpower to our most stressed areas 

and are watchful for any new areas that show signs of strain.

As we look to the future in implementing 

Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) 

and Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) 

decisions, we must ensure a seamless 

transition to new structures and missions while 

preserving the unique capabilities resident in 

our Regular Air Force, Air National Guard and 

Reserve communities. Examining functions 

for Competitive Sourcing opportunities or 

conversion to civilian performance will 

continue to be one of our many tools for 

striking the correct balance of missions across 

the Total Force.

Force Development

The Air Force’s Force Development construct 

is a Total Force initiative that develops 

officers, enlisted and civilians from the 

Regular Air Force, the Air National Guard 

and the Air Force Reserve. The fundamental 

purpose of force development is to produce 

leaders at all levels with the right capabilities 

to meet the Air Force’s operational needs by 

leveraging deliberate training, education and 

experience opportunities.

The Air Force Personnel Center created a division dedicated to supporting corporate 

and career field development team needs. 

Development teams have now been 

incorporated into the officer assignment 

process and they now guide assignment 

of all officer career fields. Additionally, 

development teams recommend officers for 

special selection boards and developmental 

education opportunities.

The Air Force is also deliberately developing 

our enlisted Airmen through a combined series 

of educational and training opportunities. 

We are exploring new and exciting avenues 

to expand our process beyond the current 

system in place today. Each tier of the 

enlisted force will see changes to enlisted 

development. Airmen (E-1 to E-4) will be 

introduced to the enlisted development plan, 

increasing their knowledge and solidifying 

future tactical leadership roles. The 

noncommissioned officer (NCO) tier will be 

encouraged and identified to explore careerbroadening experiences and continuing with 

developmental education. Our Senior NCO tier will see the most dramatic changes as 

we explore the use of development teams in conjunction with assignment teams to give career vectoring and strategic level 

assignments. Institutionalizing the practice 

of development as a part of enlisted Air 

Force culture is paramount for supervisors, 

commanders and senior leaders.

On the civilian side, the Air Force is 

making significant progress in civilian force 

development as we align policy, processes and 

systems to deliberately develop and manage 

our civilian workforce. We have identified 

and mapped over 97% of all Air Force civilian 

positions to career fields and have 15 Career 

Field Management Teams in place with 

three additional management teams forming 

this year. Additionally, we manage various civilian developmental opportunities and 

programs, with our career-broadening program 

providing several centrally funded positions, 

specifically tailored to provide careerbroadening opportunities and professionally 

enriching experiences.

Recruiting/Retention

After intentionally reducing total accessions in 

2005, the Air Force is working to get the right 

mix of officer and enlisted Airmen as we move 
28 29

to a leaner, more lethal and more agile force. 

We will align the respective ranks to get the 

right person, in the right job, at the right time 

to meet the Air Force mission requirements in 

support of the GWOT, the Joint Force and the 

Air Force’s expeditionary posture.

A key element for success is our ability to 

continue to offer bonuses and incentives 

where we have traditionally experienced 

shortfalls. Congressional support for these 

programs, along with increases in pay and 

benefits and quality-of-life initiatives, has 

greatly helped us retain the skilled Airmen we 

need to defend our Nation.

Personnel Services Delivery 

To achieve the Secretary of Defense’s 

objective to shift resources “from bureaucracy 

to battlefield,” we are overhauling Air Force 

personnel services. Our Personnel Services 

Delivery initiative dramatically modernizes 

the processes, organizations and technologies 

through which the Air Force supports our Airmen and their commanders. 

Our goal is to deliver higher-quality personnel 

services with greater access, speed, accuracy, 

reliability and efficiency. The Air Force has 

been able to program the resulting manpower 

savings to other compelling needs over the 

next six years. This initiative enhances our 

ability to acquire, train, educate, deliver, 

employ and empower Airmen with the 

needed skills, knowledge and experience to 

accomplish Air Force missions.

National Security Personnel 

System (NSPS)

Our civilian workforce will undergo a 

significant transformation with implementation 

of the DoD NSPS. NSPS is a simplified and 

more flexible civilian personnel management 

system that will improve the way we 

hire, assign, compensate and reward our 

civilian employees. This modern and agile 

management system will be responsive to 

the national security environment, preserve 

employee protections and benefits, and 

maintain the core values of the civil service. 

NSPS design and development has been a 

broad-based, participative process to include 

employees, supervisors and managers, unions, 

employee advocacy groups and various 

public interest groups. We plan to implement 

these human resource and performance 

management provisions in three phases 

called “spirals.” The first spiral will include 

approximately 89,000 General Schedule and 

Acquisition Demonstration Project civilian 

employees in the Air Force. NSPS is the 

most comprehensive new federal personnel 

management system in more than 50 years, 

and it’s a key component in the DoD’s 

achievement of a performance-based, resultsoriented Total Force.

Caring for Airmen

Combat capability begins and ends with 

healthy, motivated, trained and equipped Airmen. We must remain committed to 

providing our entire Air Force team with 

world class programs, facilities and moraleenhancing activities. Our “Fit to Fight” 

program ensures Airmen remain ready 

to execute our expeditionary mission at 

a moment’s notice, and our food service 

operations further complement an Air Force 

healthy lifestyle.

Through various investment strategies in both 

dormitories and military family housing, we 

are providing superior living spaces for our 

single Airmen and quality, affordable homes 

for our Airmen who support families. Our 

focus on providing quality childcare facilities 

and programs, on and off installations, enables 

our people to stay focused on the mission, 

confident that their children are receiving 

affordable, quality care. The Air Force is a 

family, and our clubs and recreation programs 

foster and strengthen those community bonds, 

promoting high morale and an esprit de corps 

vital to all our endeavors.

Additionally, we are equally committed to 

ensuring that all Airmen in every mission area 

operate with infrastructure that is modern, 

safe and efficient, no matter what the mission 

entails—from Depot Recapitalization to the 

bed down of new weapon systems. Moreover, 

we must ensure Airmen worldwide have the 

world class training, tools and developmental 

opportunities that best posture them to 

perform with excellence. We also continually 

strive to provide opportunities and support 

services that further enable them to serve their 

Nation in a way that leaves them personally 

fulfilled, contributes to family health, and 

provides America with a more stable, retained 

and capable fighting force.

Airman reunited with family after deployment 

to Iraq in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM
30 31

we continue to fund our most critical 

requirements to include new mission projects, 

depot transformation, dormitories, fitness 

centers and child care centers. The Air Force is committed to improving its infrastructure 

investment by meeting the DoD’s 

recapitalization goal through the Future Year’s 

Defense Plan (FYDP).

Common Airman Culture

An Airman Culture manifests the totality 

of our commonly transmitted behaviors, 

patterns and beliefs. Our Air Force clearly 

recognizes the relationship between mission 

capabilities and our Air Force Core Values. 

Integrity, Excellence and Service, remain 

critical guideposts to every Airman’s personal 

and professional flight path. Principles of 

dignity, self-worth, respect and diversity are 

firmly embedded elements of these values. 

Together, our Core Values are reflected in 

every Airman’s pride, dedication to mission, 

subordination of their own needs for those of 

their wingman, and devotion to duty and this 

great Nation. In this past year, we have made 

significant strides in our efforts to promote, 

reinforce and inculcate our Core Values across 

the Air Force and throughout the Total Force 

team—including our Regular, Guard, Reserve, Civilian and Contractor teammates. We 

expect and accept no less from everyone on 

the Air Force team.

Certain behaviors are absolutely incongruous with the Common Airman Culture and our 

Core Values. Among these is sexual assault. 

The Air Force has created the Sexual Assault 

Prevention and Response Program to ensure 

every Airman is provided the respect and 

dignity they deserve as their Nation’s Air 

and Space warfighters. We have trained and 

fielded Sexual Assault Response Coordinators 

and Victim Advocates to ensure every Airman 

has access to immediate assistance, should it 

be required. We are rewriting our education 

and training curricula at every level to ensure 

Airmen understand how these crimes occur, 

how they are often unwittingly facilitated 

by bystanders and third-party witnesses and 

how we can better take care of our people 

by preventing sexual assault crimes from 

occurring to them, their wingmen, friends and 

family members.

Reflecting our belief that diversity adds 

strength to our organization, the Air Force has 

accepted the challenge to “create a diverse 

and an inclusive Total Force which reflects 

and leverages the talents of the American 

people to maximize the Air Force’s combat 

capabilities.” We created The Office of 

Air Force Strategic Diversity Integration in 

the summer of 2005 to lead the Air Force’s 

Diversity efforts. This office provides 

leadership guidance and strategic support for 

the understanding, furtherance and advantage 

of diversity within the ranks of the Air Force.

Inherent in our Common Airman Culture 

is a belief in professional and personal 

dignity and a deep respect for individual 

religious beliefs. The protection of every 

Airman’s freedom of religion, while also 

defending the Constitutional prohibition 

on official establishment of religion, is an 

area of significant emphasis. As Airmen, 

we take an oath to support and defend the 

Constitution. In that endeavor, we are striving 

to assist Air Force personnel, in the course 

of their official duties, to meet and balance 

their multiple Constitutional obligations 

and personal freedoms, regarding the free 

exercise of religion, avoidance of government 

establishment of religion, and defense of the 

Nation. This is an area of national debate. 

The balancing of these foundational American 

principles demands common sense, good 

judgment and respect for each Airman’s 

right to hold to their own individual personal 

beliefs.

We also recognize our Airmen must have the 

ability to interact with coalition partners and 

local communities at home and abroad, and 

the Air Force is transforming how it engages 

friends and partners in the expeditionary 

environment. Operations in this dynamic 

setting necessitate extensive international 

insight to work effectively with existing and 

emerging coalition partners in a wide variety 

Housing and Military 

Construction (MILCON)

One of the highlights in our emphasis on 

developing Airmen is our focus on housing 

investment. Through military construction 

and housing privatization, we are providing 

quality homes faster than ever before. Over 

the next two years, the Air Force will renovate 

or replace more than 49,000 homes through 

privatization. At the same time, we will 

renovate or replace an additional 10,000 

homes through military construction. 

Investment in dormitories continues to 

accelerate in order to provide superior 

housing to our unaccompanied members—

evidenced by nearly 8,600 dormitory rooms 

programmed for funding over the next six 

years. Approximately 75% of these initiatives 

will rectify currently inadequate dormitory 

conditions for permanent party members. Our 

new “Dorms-4-Airmen” standard is a concept 

designed to increase camaraderie, social 

interaction and accountability by providing 

four single occupancy bedroom/bathrooms 

with a common kitchen and living area in each 

module. Finally, the remaining dormitory 

program initiates modernization of inadequate 

“pipeline” dormitories—those dormitories 

that house young enlisted students during their initial technical training. 

The Air Force has taken risk in facility 

and MILCON funding in order to support 

modernization and transformation. However, 

Recently opened base housing helps to improve 

the quality of life for Air Force families
32 33

to maintain the health of the force and bridge 

our current capabilities to systems and 

capabilities required in the future.

Aircraft

Our primary fighter modernization and 

recapitalization program is the F-22A Raptor. 

The F-22A is a 5th generation fighter aircraft 

that delivers Joint Air Dominance to counter 

persistent and emerging national security 

challenges. Given its vast improvements 

in every aspect—air-to-air, air-to-ground, 

all-aspect stealth, and an open, adaptable 

architecture—the F-22A is an insurance policy 

against future threats to Joint Air Dominance 

and represents the absolute best value for the 

American taxpayer. The F-22A is the only fighter 

currently produced that will defeat conceivable 

threats to Joint Air Dominance in anti-access 

environments over the next 20-30 years.

The F-22A is flying today and is in full rate 

production. Its performance continues to 

meet or exceed key performance parameters 

and spiral modernization will enhance its 

air-to-air and air-to-ground target engagement 

capability.

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), also a 5th 

generation fighter aircraft, will complement 

the tremendous capabilities of the F-22A. 

The JSF will recapitalize combat capabilities 

currently provided by the F-16 and A-10. 

Optimized for all-weather performance, JSF 

will specifically provide affordable precision 

engagement and global attack capabilities. In 

2005, the JSF program continued to address 

design challenges to develop three aircraft 

variants and coordinate the requirements of 

the Air Force, Navy and Marines, along with 

our international partners.

The C-17 continues to be a success story for 

the Joint warfighter, deploying troops and 

cargo to Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as 

numerous locations around the world. The Air 

Force is on schedule for delivery of the next 

40 aircraft through 2008—for a total of 180. 

During the past year, C-17s flew over 63,000 

sorties, bringing the total number of OEF and 

OIF missions to over 109,000. Additionally, 

the C-17 flew over 100 humanitarian and 

disaster relief missions following Hurricanes 

Katrina and Rita, as well as the October 

2005 earthquake in Pakistan. The C-17, in 

concert with C-5 modernization programs, is 

critical to meeting our U.S. inter-theater airlift 

requirements. 

To meet continuing intra-theater airlift demands, 

we have a two-pronged approach to modernize 

our C-130s. First, but most problematic, we 

are striving to replace our oldest aircraft with 

new C-130Js. Second, the remaining C-130s 

are being standardized and modernized via the 

C-130 Avionics Modernization Program and 

center-wing box replacement programs. C-130s 

have been the workhorse for intra-theater airlift 

during numerous contingencies. C-130Js have 

of activities. Through the AF International 

Affairs Specialist program, we are developing 

leaders who are regional experts with foreign 

language proficiency. Our focus is on 

building a cadre of officers with the skills 

needed to foster effective relationships with 

global partners in support of the Combatant 

Commanders and U.S. global interests.

Over the next year, the Air Force will continue 

to vigorously reinforce our Common Airmen 

Culture, our belief in professional and personal 

dignity and most importantly our enduring Core 

Values of Integrity First, Service Before Self 

and Excellence in All We Do. 

Training at Keesler AFB 

Following Hurricane Katrina

In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck 

the Gulf Coast of the United States. Keesler 

Air Force Base (AFB), Mississippi lay in its 

direct path. The Air Force is attempting to 

rapidly reestablish Keesler’s critical training 

missions. Of 56 enlisted initial skills training 

“pipelines,” 90% have already resumed 

operation. Additional pipelines have been 

temporarily reestablished at other locations. 

Significant challenges remain ahead, but 

training and developing our expeditionary Airmen remains one of our highest priorities. 

We take exceptional pride in the work our 

Airmen have done, and continue to do, in 

restoring Keesler AFB’s training capability.

Maintenance, Modernization 

and Recapitalization

Our Airmen are the best in the world. 

However, they can only be as effective as 

the tools we give them. Within today’s fiscal 

constraints, we must fight the GWOT and 

protect the homeland while transforming the 

force and maintaining an appropriate level 

of risk. The Air Force is committed to the 

modernization and recapitalization necessary 

A C-130J Hercules tests its defensive systems
34 35

Predator is transforming the way we fight, 

providing a persistent ISR, target acquisition 

and strike capability against critical time 

sensitive targets (TSTs) in direct response 

to warfighters’ needs. Today, by controlling 

combat operations remotely from the U.S., 

Predator provides a truly revolutionary leap in 

how we provide persistent military capability 

to the warfighter.

The Air Force will continue to enhance 

Predator’s ability to support the Joint 

warfighter. We are developing the ability to 

operate multiple aircraft by a single pilot, 

which will increase our overall combat 

effectiveness. We demonstrated this capability in August 2005. We are also developing 

and deploying the Predator B, a larger, more 

capable, more lethal variant. In its role as a 

“hunter-killer,” Predator B will be capable 

of automatically finding, fixing, tracking and 

rapidly prosecuting critical emerging TSTs.

Global Hawk is a high-altitude, long 

endurance RPA providing robust surveillance 

and reconnaissance capabilities. Despite 

being a developmental prototype system, 

Global Hawk has flown over 4900 combat 

hours. This year the Air Force moved beyond 

the proven capability of the Global Hawk 

prototypes by deploying two production 

aircraft to support GWOT operations.

Airborne ISR

E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar 

System (J-STARS) continues to be a highdemand asset. J-STARS aircraft provide wide theater surveillance of ground moving 

targets. Crews from the 116th Air Control 

Wing at Robins AFB, Georgia, the first-ever 

“blended wing” of Regular Air Force, Air 

National Guard and Army, operate these 

aircraft. Modernizing these aircraft while 

maintaining the current high OPSTEMPO in 

combat theaters will be ongoing challenges. 

The recent installation of the Force XXI Battle 

Command Brigade and Below module, the 

reduced vertical separation minima module, 

supported GWOT and humanitarian operations 

since December 2004 and have proven to be 

a force enhancer as they deliver more cargo 

in a shorter time than older C-130s. C-130 

modernization, coupled with the wing-box 

modification, reduces operation and sustainment 

costs and improves combat capability.

The Air Force is developing the next 

generation combat search and rescue (CSAR) 

recovery vehicle, called CSAR-X. We are 

planning to replace the current and aging 

CSAR inventory of “low-density, highdemand” (LD/HD) HH-60G Pave Hawk 

helicopters with 141 CSAR-X aircraft. The 

CSAR-X will address deficiencies of the 

current HH-60G by providing increased 

capabilities in speed, range, survivability, 

cabin size and high altitude hover operations. 

The CSAR-X will provide personnel recovery 

forces with a medium-lift vertical take-off 

and landing aircraft that is quickly deployable 

and capable of main base and austere location 

operations for worldwide recovery missions. 

The CSAR-X will be capable of operating day 

or night, during adverse weather conditions, 

and in all environments including Nuclear, 

Biological and Chemical conditions. Onboard defensive capabilities will permit the 

CSAR-X to operate in an increased threat 

environment, and in-flight refueling capability 

will provide an airborne alert capability and 

extend its combat mission range.

UAVs

UAVs are demonstrating their combat value in 

the GWOT. The Air Force rapidly delivered 

operational UAV capabilities to the Joint 

warfighter and is continuing to mature and 

enhance those capabilities. 

and the Airborne Battlefield Command 

and Control Center are some of the latest 

capability upgrades. The most urgent 

modernization needs for J-STARS include 

re-engining, radar upgrades, installation of the 

Traffic Alert Collision Avoidance System and 

integration of a self-protection suite.

The E-10A program will highlight the 

advanced capabilities of the Multi-Platform 

Radar Technology Insertion Program (MPRTIP) sensor by demonstrating advanced 

cruise missile defense, interleaved ground 

tracking, and ground imaging capabilities in 2010 and 2011. A smaller variant of the 

MP-RTIP sensor, developed within the E-10A 

program, will be integrated into the Global 

Hawk in 2008 to begin developmental and 

operational testing. These demonstrations 

will advance critical sensor technology and 

provide vital warfighting capabilities.

Space and Nuclear Forces

Air Force modernization and recapitalization 

efforts also continue for space systems. The 

Air Force is modernizing critical capabilities 

across the spectrum of global strike, 

navigation, weather, communication, missile 

warning, launch, surveillance, counterspace 

and ground-based space systems.

The Minuteman ICBM was originally 

designed in the late 1950s and deployed 

operationally in October 1962. Modernization 

programs have been crucial to this system 

originally designed to last just ten years. 

Service life extension programs are underway 

to ensure the Minuteman III remains mission 

capable through 2020. These programs, 

nine in all, will replace obsolete, failing and 

environmentally unsound materials while 

maintaining missile reliability, survivability, 

security and sustainability. These efforts are 

critical in sustaining the ICBM force until a 

follow-on system can be fielded. 

The Air Force is also addressing the need 

for a follow-on ICBM system. This system 

E-8 JSTARS

Predator and 

Predator B
36 37

will address future warfighter needs, reduce 

ownership costs and continue to provide 

policy makers the critical capabilities provided 

by the ICBM. The effort to modernize 

the ICBM force is vital to the U.S. for the 

foreseeable future.

Continued, unhindered access to space is 

vital to U.S. interests. As the Air Force 

continues programs to upgrade and modernize 

America’s launch ranges, the EELV program will continue to provide the U.S. with assured 

access to space for both DoD and National 

space assets. The EELV program includes two 

launch vehicle designs—Delta-IV and AtlasV—with each design comprising a family of 

scalable, tailorable launch vehicle variants. 

The TSAT program will employ Internet 

Protocol networks, on-board routing and 

high-bandwidth laser communications 

relays in space to dramatically increase 

warfighter communications connectivity. 

TSAT capability enables the realization 

and success of all DoD and Joint visions of 

future network-centric operations, such as 

the Army’s Communications-on-the-Move 

(COTM) and Future Combat System (FCS) 

concepts and the Navy’s Sea Power 21 vision 

and Fleet FORCEnet/FORCEview concepts.

Global Positioning System (GPS) modernization 

and development of the next-generation GPS-III 

will enhance navigation capability and improve 

resistance to jamming. 

In partnership with NASA and the Department 

of Commerce, the National Polar-orbiting 

Operational Environmental Satellite System 

(NPOESS) will accurately calculate surface winds over the oceans and gather meteorolog

ical 

data for our forces deployed overseas. 

The Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) will provide a transformational leap in 

capability over our aging Defense Support 

Program satellites. Complementing the 

space-based system are ground-based missile 

warning radars, being upgraded to support the missile defense mission.

Another future transformational space-based 

ISR program is the Space Radar (SR) system. 

interference via fixed and deployable ground 

systems. Future developments will automate 

data access analysis and data fusion and 

provide decision support tools.

Operational Infrastructure and 

Support Modernization (OSM)

Finally, the Air force is pursuing to modernize its operational infrastructure and the tools 

we use to manage operational support to 

our Airmen and Joint warfighters. The Air 

Force’s ongoing OSM program will improve 

operational support processes, consolidate 

personnel and financial service centers, and 

eliminate inefficiencies in the delivery of 

services, support and information to our Airmen and the Combatant Commanders. 

Realizing these economies, OSM will improve 

Air Force-wide enterprise efficiency and 

provide a resources shift from business and 

combat support systems, thereby returning 

resources to Air Force operations, equipment 

modernization and long-term investments.

Air Force efforts also continue in the 

development of an effective, holistic asset 

management strategy for the restoration and 

modernization of operational infrastructure—

facilities, utilities and natural resource 

assets—throughout their useful life cycles. 

Operational infrastructure is critical to the 

development and testing of new weapon 

systems, the training and development of our 

Airmen, and the conduct of Joint military 

exercises.

SR’s day-night and all-weather capabilities 

will include Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) 

imagery, High-Resolution Terrain Information 

(HRTI), Surface Moving Target Indication 

(SMTI), Geospatial Intelligence (GEOINT) 

and Open Ocean Surveillance (OOS), and 

rapid revisit. It will support a broad range 

of missions for the Joint warfighter, the 

Intelligence Community, and domestic users. 

SR will be integrated with other surface, 

air and space ISR capabilities to improve 

overall collection persistence and architecture 

effectiveness.

Modernization of our ground-based space 

systems will provide new capabilities to 

keep pace with the satellites they support and will continue to provide assured C2 for our 

satellites and space-based capabilities. This 

effort includes the modernization of groundbased radars, some of which are over 25 years 

old. Through programs like the Family of 

Advanced Beyond Line of Sight Terminals 

(FAB-T) and the Ground Multi-band 

Terminal, the Air Force is modernizing its 

ground-based space capabilities with satellite 

communications terminals that consolidate 

logistics support, provide increased satellite 

throughput and laser communications and 

ensure seamless command and control. 

Additionally, enhanced ground-based and 

new space-based SSA assets will provide the 

necessary information to gain and maintain 

Space Superiority.

As part of the broader Space Control mission, 

the ground-based, theater-deployable Counter 

Communications System (CCS) has achieved 

Initial Operational Capability (IOC) and 

provides the Combatant Commander with 

a non-destructive, reversible capability to 

deny space-based communication services 

to our adversaries. Incremental upgrades 

to the CCS will continue to enhance our 

Offensive Counterspace capabilities. Overall 

counterspace enhancements also include 

ongoing RAIDRS development, which is a 

Defensive Counterspace system designed to 

assist in the protection of our space assets. 

RAIDRS will provide a capability to detect 

and geolocate satellite communications 

SBIRS
38 39

Acquisition Reform

The Air Force will meet the challenges 

of the 21st century, including asymmetric 

threats, through continued exploitation of our 

technological leadership and with our ability 

to respond quickly to the demands of a rapidly 

changing world. Effective leadership in 

research and development, procurement and 

sustainment of current and future weapons 

systems depends upon the integrated actions 

of professionals in the acquisition, as well 

as the requirements generation, resource and 

oversight processes. Everything we do in 

Air Force acquisition drives toward the goal 

of getting an operationally safe, suitable 

and effective product of best value to the 

warfighter in the least amount of time. 

Program cost and schedule growth have 

drawn widespread criticism and undermined 

confidence in the defense acquisition process. 

A recent Government Accounting Office 

(GAO) study of 26 DoD weapon systems 

reports average unit costs have grown by 50% 

and schedules have stretched an average of 

20%, to nearly 15 years, despite numerous 

attempts at reform. 

In an effort to address these concerns, the Air 

Force formed the Acquisition Transformation 

Action Council in December 2004. This 

group is comprised of general officer and 

senior executive service representatives 

from the Air Force product centers, labs, air 

logistics centers and headquarters. The group 

continues to lead the transformation of Air 

Force acquisition from its present state into 

that of an Agile Acquisition Enterprise. The 

goals of Agile Acquisition include shortened 

acquisition process time and improved 

credibility with both internal and external 

stakeholders. Achieving these goals will be 

critical to making the delivery of war-winning 

capabilities faster, more efficient and more 

responsive.

The Acquisition Transformation Action 

Council’s short-term focus is on incremental 

improvements and eliminating nonvalue-added processes in areas such as 

conducting Acquisition Strategy Panels, 

meeting immediate warfighter needs and 

effectively incentivizing contractors. A more 

comprehensive strategic plan for acquisition 

transformation, due later this year, will detail 

not only where the near-term changes fit into 

the big picture of acquisition reform, but also 

the longer-term actions needed to achieve the 

goals of Agile Acquisition. 

The Air Force is also pursuing initiatives 

aimed at improving the Air Force’s cost 

analysis capability. Among these initiatives 

are efforts to strengthen the Air Force Cost 

Analyst career field, improve the quality, 

quantity and utilization of program cost 

and technical data and estimating methods, 

and establish new policy requiring robust independent cost estimates for programs—

earlier and more often. These improvements will promote realistic program cost and 

technical baselines as well as strengthen the 

Air Force’s capacity to produce accurate, 

unbiased cost information for Air Force, DoD 

and Congressional decision-makers.

The Air Force is on a bold, ambitious, yet 

necessary journey to provide our Commanders 

and decisions-makers with accurate, reliable 

real-time business and financial management 

information that is validated by a “clean audit” 

opinion. Basic building blocks for this effort 

include a revitalized emphasis on transparency 

in our business processes and an enterprisewide financial management capability that is 

modern, comprehensive and responsive to the 

warfighter. Sound financial management and 

improved accountability are at the core of our 

financial management transformation.

Initiatives in Air Force contracting include 

development and implementation of the 

Enterprise Architecture for Procurement, 

consolidation of Major Command (MAJCOM) 

Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplements, 

standardization of the strategic sourcing 

process and assessment of current contracting 

organizational alignments. 

The Air Force will continue to promote small 

business participation in our acquisitions. 

Partnering with small businesses—including 

Historically Underutilized Business Zones; 

Women Owned Small Businesses; Service 

Disabled Veteran Owned Small Businesses; 

Small Disadvantaged Businesses; and 

Historically Black Colleges, Universities 

and Minority Institutions—helps ensure we 

maintain a strong defense industrial base and 

have the widest range of products and services 

available to support the Joint warfighter.

The Air Force is also working with OSD to 

understand the demand on our acquisition 

personnel and to appropriately size our 

workforce. Our objective is to have the right 

mix of military and civil service acquisition 

professionals with the appropriate education, 

experience and training. 

F-22A Raptor is now in full production
40 41

Focus Areas

Total Force Integration (TFI)

The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, 

General Pace stated, “We must transform if 

we are to meet future challenges.” One of the 

Air Force’s more significant commitments to 

long-term transformation is the creation of 

the Total Force Integration Directorate. This 

new directorate is responsible for future force 

structure, emerging-mission beddown and 

development of Total Force organizational 

constructs. Working with our partners in the 

Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, 

the Air Force is maximizing our overall Joint 

combat capability. Our efforts will enable 

the Air Force to meet the challenges of a 

shrinking budget, an aging aircraft inventory 

and new and emerging missions. 

The Air Force plans to shift investment from 

“traditional” combat forces, with singlemission capabilities, to multi-role forces by 

aggressively divesting itself of older systems. 

The result will be a force structure with 

expanded capability to combat conventional 

threats while continuing to wage the GWOT. 

Simply stated, the Air Force will become 

a smaller, yet more capable force through 

modernization and recapitalization of selected 

weapon systems with a commitment to 

networked and integrated Joint systems. 

Our Total Force initiatives will maximize 

efficiencies and enhance combat capability 

through innovative organizational constructs. 

We have developed an organizational 

construct based on the success of an associate 

model in use by the Regular Air Force and Air 

Force Reserve since 1968. Associate units 

are comprised of two or more components 

operationally integrated, but whose chains 

of command remain separate. This model 

capitalizes on inherent strengths of the 

Air Force’s three components, ensuring 

partnership in virtually every facet of Air 

Force operations, while preserving each 

component’s unique heraldry and history. 

Increased integration allows Regular Air 

and other decisions related to Total Force initiatives become routine parts of the 

planning and programming processes. The 

goal is clear, albeit ambitious: take greater 

advantage of Total Force elements and 

capabilities in the way the Air Force does 

business.

The Air Force is transforming from a Cold 

War force posture to a structure that supports 

expeditionary warfare and leverages Total 

Force capabilities. More efficient use of our 

Regular Air Force, Air National Guard and Air 

Force Reserve assets increases our flexibility 

and capacity to be a more agile and lethal 

combat force and a more vigilant homeland 

defender. 

Science and Technology (S&T)

The Air Force develops and exploits new 

technologies to meet a wide range of 

conventional and asymmetric threats. To 

achieve required future capabilities, we 

continue to support S&T investments for the 

major tasks the Air Force must accomplish to 

support the Combatant Commanders.

Air Force S&T is focused on high payoff 

technologies that could provide current and 

future warfighting capabilities to address 

not only conventional threats, but also those 

threats encountered in the GWOT. The Air 

Force has embraced a new technology vision 

to guide our S&T Program – “Anticipate, 

Force personnel to capitalize on experience 

levels inherent in the Guard and Reserve, 

while building vital relationships necessary to 

sustain successful combat operations. 

Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve 

members will continue to support the Air 

Force’s global commitments and conduct vital 

Homeland Defense and Security missions. 

Total Force initiatives will integrate Air Force 

components into missions critical to future 

warfighting: ISR, UAV operations and space 

operations. These missions are ideally suited 

for the Guard and Reserve since many provide 

direct support to the Joint warfighter from U.S. 

locations. Using this approach will improve our 

operational effectiveness, reduce our overseas 

footprint, reduce reliance on involuntary 

mobilization and provide more stability for our 

Airmen and their civilian employers.

Ongoing Total Force transformation 

benefits from a robust, dynamic, crossfunctional coordination process, involving 

the headquarters, all regular component 

MAJCOMs, the National Guard Bureau and 

Air Force Reserve Command. 

The Air Force continues to make significant 

progress on Total Force initiatives such as 

the Richmond-Langley F-22A integration 

in Virginia; community basing in Vermont; 

F-16 Integration at Hill AFB, Utah; new 

Predator missions in Texas, Arizona, New 

York, North Dakota, California and at the Air 

Force Warfare Center in Nevada; and C-17 

associate units in Alaska and Hawaii. We 

are also working additional initiatives such 

as C-130 Active Associate units in Colorado 

and Wyoming; a C-5 Flight Training Unit 

in Texas; C-40 Integration in Illinois; and 

Centralized Intermediate Repair Facilities in 

Illinois, Connecticut, Louisiana, Utah, South 

Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina and Florida. 

The Air Force, through its Total Force 

Integration Directorate, is continuing a 

broad effort to ensure that new Total Force 

concepts are embedded in our doctrine, policy 

directives, instructions and training. We 

are creating procedures to ensure resource 

C-17 Globemaster 

is capable of rapid 

strategic delivery 

of troops and all 

types of cargo to 

main operations 

bases or directly to 

forward bases in the 

deployment area
42 43

Find, Fix, Track, Target, Engage, Assess...

Anytime, Anywhere.” We are integrating 

this vision into our annual planning activities 

to ensure we develop and transition relevant 

technology to the Joint warfighter. 

Air Force technological advantages and 

superior warfighting capabilities are the direct 

result of decades of Air Force investment in 

S&T. Similarly, today’s investment in S&T 

will produce future warfighting capabilities as 

we adapt to continually changing threats. The 

Air Force continues to seek ways to create 

a significantly greater advantage over these 

threats. Investment in technologies such as 

nanotechnology could provide stronger and 

lighter air vehicle structures, while investment 

in hypersonic research could provide ondemand access to space and reduced timeto-target for conventional weapons. New information assurance technologies should 

allow real-time automatic detection and reaction 

to network attacks, enabling us to automatically 

isolate the attack and collect forensic 

evidence, all while continuing uninterrupted 

network operations. Research in sensor and information technologies should provide 

increased battlefield situational awareness, 

which will provide unprecedented insight and 

understanding of events in the battlespace. 

These are but a few examples of developing 

technologies that could lead to operational 

systems that are smaller, lighter, smarter, faster, 

stronger and more effective, affordable and 

maintainable than they are today.

The Air Force Directed Energy (DE) Master 

Plan is on track and some DE applications are 

already being fielded, especially for defensive 

purposes. For example, the Large Aircraft 

Infrared Counter Measures has now been used 

extensively and successfully in OIF and OEF 

on C-17s. Also, the Airborne Laser program 

continues to move DE technology forward. 

The capabilities possible through DE hold the 

potential to profoundly transform how we fly, 

fight and defend ourselves.

Impressive as our technological advances 

have been, maintaining an advantage relies, 

in part, on our commitment to future S&T 

investments. These investments also clearly highlight that air and space power is an 

asymmetric advantage for the Joint warfighter 

and the Nation.

Air Force Smart Operations 

for the 21st Century (AFSO21)

To meet the challenges of the road ahead, we 

have embarked on an Air Force-wide journey 

embracing Continuous Process Improvement, 

Lean Thinking and Six Sigma Quality. This 

major initiative is called AFSO21. Achieving 

excellence in all that we do requires us to 

institutionalize the precepts of AFSO21 

throughout all of our operations, across the Total 

Force, and in our daily lives as Airmen. The 

Air Force is stepping up to the challenge and 

making the commitment necessary to achieve 

true process excellence. AFSO21 focuses on 

the identification and elimination of activities, 

actions and policies that do not contribute to the 

efficient and effective operation of the Air Force. 

We will seek out and discontinue any activity 

not ultimately contributing to creating military 

utility and mission capability. Continuous 

identification and systematic elimination of 

so-called “non-value added” activities are the 

keys to improving service, reducing costs and 

enriching the lives of our Airmen. 

 We are seeking three outcomes from this 

approach. First, we want Airmen who are fully 

aware of the importance of their work and how 

it contributes to the mission; Airmen must look 

to improve what they do every day. We want 

Airmen to see their role in a fundamentally 

different way: by focusing on increasing value 

and eliminating waste. Second, we want to 

make the most of our existing budgets and 

free resources for future modernization by 

systematically identifying and eliminating the 

waste in our day-to-day processes. Finally, we 

want to enhance our ability to accomplish our 

mission and provide greater agility in response 

to rapidly changing demands.

Institutionalizing this new way of thinking 

and operating will allow the Air Force to meet 

the enormous challenges of the next decade 

and ultimately to sustain and modernize the 

world’s best air and space force.

Fuel Conservation 

and Efficiency

The Air Force is the largest renewable energy 

power purchaser in the U.S. and is set to 

continue making large buys that will not only 

greatly reduce reliance on petroleum-based 

fuels but, over time, will reduce utility costs.

The Air Force is pursuing an aggressive 

energy conservation strategy and is committed 

to meeting and surpassing the energy goals 

mandated by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 

and other overarching policies and mandates. 

We have been successful at reducing our 

energy consumption in accordance with past 

legislation and will continue to use a variety 

of programs aimed at reducing our use of 

petroleum-based fuels. 

KC-135R Stratotanker refuels a F-16CJ 

Fighting Falcon during a training mission
44 45

Our overall ground fuel conservation efforts in 

accordance with mandates and guidance have 

yielded some notable reductions. Specifically, 

Air Force motor vehicle gas and diesel 

consumption has fallen significantly alongside 

a corresponding increase in Air Force use of 

alternative fuels. Air Force progress in these 

areas will be driven largely by commercial 

research and funding, since we do not 

substantially drive alternative fuels technology 

and infrastructure changes. The Air Force is 

partnering with the Army to develop and use 

a hybrid electric-diesel engine for the High 

Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle 

(HMMWV) with a planned delivery starting 

in 2008. Other alternative fuel-technology is 

still in the development stage. 

Michigan’s Selfridge Air National Guard 

Base (ANGB) will become the demonstration 

center for the latest fuel-efficient and 

environmentally compliant technologies for 

use in Air Force support equipment to include 

Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources 

(BEAR) and ground vehicle inventories. 

Tests at Selfridge ANGB, Michigan will look 

at fuel cell powered vehicles, hydrogen fuel 

infrastructure requirements and will ultimately 

provide models for future Air Force/DoD 

procurement.

Our use of energy from renewable sources and 

construction and infrastructure improvement 

programs are designed to create cost effective 

energy efficiencies in new and existing 

facilities. In addition, our aggressive pursuit 

of on-base renewable power generation is 

rapidly increasing. We have bases where 

power is being produced from wind, solar, 

geothermal and biomass, and we have projects 

planned, in design or under construction to 

greatly expand this capability. Some of our 

bases are already using 100% renewable 

power from purchases and on-site production. 

With our combined purchase/production 

strategy, the Air Force is poised to surpass the 

renewable goals set by the Energy Policy Act. 

We realize our reliance on petroleum-based 

fuels must be curtailed and it will take a 

concerted and coordinated effort to meet the 

energy reduction needs of the Air Force. We 

use the tools available to improve infrastructure 

while we continue to strive to instill an energy 

conservation mindset in our Airmen.

C4ISR

Future transformational C4ISR capabilities 

will provide all-weather, persistent 

surveillance to the Joint warfighter and the 

intelligence community, and they will be 

tightly integrated with space, air and land 

assets to deliver even more precise and 

responsive situational awareness in support of 

national security objectives.

The Air Force’s biggest challenge with its 

world-class C4ISR systems remains the proper 

integration of these systems. The goal of 

our technology improvements is to integrate intelligence and operations capabilities. An integrated enterprise solution will enhance 

Joint, multi-agency and multi-national C4ISR 

collection and dissemination capabilities and 

will eliminate information seams among air, 

ground and space based assets. It will also 

expand information superiority and accelerate 

decision-making. This integration allows us 

to achieve decision dominance, leading to 

knowledge-enabled operations and supporting 

the development and execution of sovereign 

options using air, space and cyberspace 

capabilities.

Knowledge-based operations are critical to 

closing the seams between Joint Forces. We 

anticipate a future in which each force element, 

no matter how small, is constantly collecting 

data and “publishing” it to a Joint warfighter 

network. Information will flow from every 

corner and element of the Joint Force, from 

ISR collectors to the warfighters. A key aspect 

of future C4ISR capabilities will involve 

replacing time-consuming human interfaces 

with machine-to-machine digital integration to 

ensure commanders have ready access to the 

information they need to execute their missions.

The concepts of intelligence fusion and 

streamlined sensor-to-shooter processes imply 

a high level of system interoperability at many 

levels. Information technology increases the 

ability to send ISR information to any point 

on the globe in near-real time. The Air Force 

is adapting doctrine, tactics, techniques and 

procedures to manage this ever-changing 

growth in C4ISR capabilities.

To maximize our C4ISR capabilities, the Air 

Force is eliminating organizational restrictions 

that inhibit the flow of information between 

these systems. Advances in information 

technology are removing historical limitations 

inherent in legacy systems, such as line-ofsight data links, incompatible C2 systems and 

manual collection-management processes. 

Our goal is to increasingly “share” rather than 

“own” information.

Overcoming past shortfalls through 

improvements in the timeliness, accuracy 

and completeness of battlespace knowledge 

will also bring tactical-level information 

to command functions that previously had 

access to only the operational or strategic 

levels of war. The AOC is the focal point 

for operational C2 of air and space assets 

delivering combat effects to the warfighter. To 

make this capability more effective, we made 

it a weapon system—the Air Force provides 

manpower and training as it does for every 

other weapons system—standardized, certified 

and lethal. We injected the technology 

necessary to increase machine-to-machine 

connectivity. Through both technical and 

procedural improvements, we have increased 

the system’s capacity for information fusion 

and accelerated the decision-to-shooter 

loop. All five of our full-function AOC 

weapon systems (Falconers) should be fully 

operational in 2006. 

In support of DoD and the Joint community’s 

broader efforts to adopt and transition to 

network centric warfare, the Air Force is 

aggressively integrating existing C4ISR 

platforms across a distributed processing 

environment. The Network Centric 

Collaborative Targeting Program (NCCTP) 

will initially integrate capabilities that include 

airborne C2, ground surveillance, signals 

“Network centric operations are 

the heart of joint warfighting 

operations and information is a key 

asset of the joint warfight”

Secretary Wynne
46 47

of Combatant Commanders, enabling a 

seamless transition from peacetime to wartime 

operations. WFHQs will maximize usage of 

C4ISR technology and reachback to minimize 

required manpower. The WFHQs are also 

designed to act as the Combined/Joint Force 

Air Component Commander Headquarters, or 

Joint Task Force Headquarters. 

Joint Warfighting Space (JWS)

The JWS concept is an outgrowth of Air Force 

efforts to develop Operationally Responsive 

Space (ORS) capabilities. JWS and ORS will 

enable rapid deployment and employment 

of communication, ISR and other vital space 

capabilities and services. JWS will emphasize 

agility, decisiveness and integration to provide 

dedicated, responsive space and near-space 

capabilities and effects to the JFC.

In 2005, the Air Force successfully conducted 

the first JWS demonstration. By capitalizing 

on an existing commercial communications 

capability using free-floating platforms, the 

Air Force was able to extend line-of-sight 

communications for ground forces from 5-7 

miles to over 300 miles. This demonstration 

was the initial step in exploiting existing 

off-the-shelf technologies in a long loiter 

environment.

In 2006, the Air Force will team with our 

sister Services to conduct the first in a series 

of small (1000 pounds or less) satellite 

experiments. These demonstrations are 

designed to enhance and incorporate space 

capabilities in Joint training and exercises, 

increase space integration and allow the Joint 

Force to take advantage of the many synergies 

multi-service space professionals provide. 

Lessons learned from these activities have the 

potential to further evolve and improve space 

doctrine and help the Joint community in 

developing innovative space-derived effects.

JWS and ORS demonstrations will continue to 

explore ways of achieving new, more effective 

ways of providing space capabilities to the 

Joint warfighter. As technologies mature, JWS 

will bring the Joint Force more persistent, 

responsive and dedicated capabilities. 

Long Range Strike

To further refine its rapid strike capabilities, 

the Air Force is transitioning its Long-Range 

Strike strategy to focus on effects instead of 

platforms. We view long-range strike as the 

capability to achieve desired effects rapidly 

and persistently on any target set in any 

operational environment.

Our forces must be simultaneously responsive 

to multiple Combatant Commanders and be 

able to strike any point on the planet. Today, 

we provide deep strike capabilities through 

a variety of platforms and weapons. Future 

capabilities must continue to enhance the 

effectiveness of the system. Responsive 

capabilities will combine speed, stealth and 

payload to strike hardened, deeply buried, 

or mobile targets, deep in enemy territory, in adverse weather and with survivable 

persistence.

Improving CAS

Detailed integration of each air mission with 

the fire and movement of supported Joint 

Forces is the trademark of CAS. In the past, aircrews and ground forces shared information 

through lengthy voice descriptions. When 

providing CAS or time-critical-targeting, 

this dialogue often took several minutes and 

occasionally resulted in missed opportunities. 

To increase integration and lethality, the Air 

Force has developed new equipment and 

training to increase situational awareness in 

CAS operations. We also continue to sustain 

and modernize the A-10, the only Air Force aircraft dedicated to the CAS mission. 

A joint combined arms 

mission verifies the 

target house to secure 

and search for antiIraqi forces suspected 

of harboring terrorists 

and weapons

intelligence and operational C2 at the AOC. 

The Air Force will expand NCCTP into a 

broader Airborne Networking capability that will support the full and expanding range of 

future Joint air and space operations.

The Air Force is actively pursuing the 

extension of Global Information Grid (GIG) 

networked capabilities out to the extreme 

edge of tactical air operations. Programs 

like Family of Advanced Beyond-Line-ofSight Terminals (FAB-T), the Joint Tactical 

Radio System (JTRS), Tactical Targeting 

Network Technology (TTNT), the Battlefield 

Airborne Communications Node (BACN), 

and, eventually, the TSAT constellation will 

provide rich connectivity and interoperability 

for Joint air operations as well as tactical users 

and warfighters.

The Air Force is working closely with 

the other Services and Agencies to define 

new doctrine and organizational structures 

to optimize Joint warfighting operations. 

Consequently, we are developing the 

necessary technical capabilities, refined 

processes and trained personnel to achieve 

desired effects.

Warfighting Headquarters 

(WFHQs)

The Air Force is transforming our C2 structure 

by establishing new WFHQs. These will be 

positioned globally, replacing our old Cold 

War structures and providing the Joint Force 

Commander (JFC) with the most effective 

means to lead air and space forces in support 

of National Security objectives. These forces 

will be organized and resourced to plan 

and deliver air and space power in support 
48 49

With video downlinks, Battlefield Airmen 

can share time-sensitive information 

instantaneously and complete target 

coordination in mere seconds. Most JTACs 

are already equipped with ROVER III 

receivers to display video feeds from most 

UAVs and ATPs. 

In 2006, the Air Force will begin operational 

fielding of the Precision Engagement 

modification that integrates ATPs and data 

links and enhances employment of GPS-aided 

munitions. This modification will greatly 

enhance the pilot’s situational awareness and 

improve both the responsiveness and accuracy 

of A-10 targeting. This will increase the A10’s lethality while reducing the probability 

of fratricide incidents. The Air Force will 

also improve the sustainability of its A-10s 

by continuing a SLEP that doubles the flight 

hour life of the A-10, helping to ensure the 

A-10 can remain in service for as long as the 

warfighter requires. 

In 2006, the A-10 Propulsion Upgrade 

Program will enter the system design and 

demonstration phase. This program will 

upgrade the A-10’s current TF34-100A 

engines to provide approximately 30% 

more thrust. This will help overcome some 

limitations that the A-10 faces when operating 

from expeditionary airfields at high field 

elevations and temperatures. It will also 

improve the A-10 performance at medium 

altitudes and increase its weapon load, thus 

improving survivability and more fully 

leveraging the capabilities of the Precision 

Engagement modification and ATPs.

Special Operations 

Forces (SOF)

Air Force Special Operations Command 

(AFSOC) offers Combatant Commanders 

specialized airpower and ground forces to 

conduct and support special operations and 

personnel recovery missions. These forces 

offer a unique combination of capabilities 

and personnel that the U.S. can call upon for 

the GWOT, Homeland Defense and disaster 

response missions.

To meet operational requirements, we will add 

four AC-130U Gunships to the force structure 

in 2006, followed by ten MC-130H Combat 

Talon IIs by 2010. The first CV-22 Osprey 

combat unit anticipates IOC in 2009. The 

Osprey will add a long-range, self-deployable, 

vertical lift mobility aircraft to sustain SOF in 

remote environments.

We will support expanding our SOF Combat 

Aviation Advisory forces so they can assess, 

train, advise, assist and integrate more 

nations’ Air Forces into the GWOT and other 

combined operations and contingencies. We 

have begun the CSAR-X program in an effort 

to provide a fast, long-range, all-weather aircraft to achieve IOC in 2010 and replace 

the HH-60 CSAR aircraft.

The Air Force is also developing the Persistent 

Surface Attack System of Systems as the 

follow-on to the current AC-130 Gunship. 

This gunship follow-on will provide 

responsive, survivable, persistent and precise 

fire support in the low-threat to selected highthreat engagements in the 2015 timeframe.

BRAC

BRAC 2005 will transform the Air Force for 

the next 20 years to meet new challenges as a 

Total Force. The BRAC results improve Air 

Force warfighting effectiveness, realign Cold 

War era infrastructure to meet future defense 

strategy, maximize operational capability by 

eliminating excess physical infrastructure, 

and capitalize on opportunities for Joint 

teaming with our sister Services. We will 

continue the excellent record established 

Commando Solo crew 

performs night mission 

broadcasting messages 

via television and radio 

directly to Iraqi people

in prior BRAC rounds by closing bases as 

quickly as possible so savings are realized and 

properties expeditiously turned over for viable 

reuse, in concert with community plans for 

development and economic revitalization.

C-17 Globemaster has 

flown more than 109,000 

OEF/OIF missions and 

over 100 humanitarian 

and disaster relief 

missions following 

Hurricanes Katrina 

and Rita and the 2005 

earthquake in Pakistan
50 51

Summary – Heritage to Horizon

We have received a proud heritage forged 

through the ingenuity, courage and strength of 

the Airmen who preceded us. Our duty today 

is to deliver their Air Force to the limitless 

horizon ahead of us. The mission of the Air 

Force remains to fly, fight and win whether we 

are delivering lethal effects against insurgents 

in Iraq, protecting the skies of the U.S. 

against terrorist attacks, providing a Global 

Positioning System that is essential to our 

modern military and the global economy, or 

providing relief to victims of natural disasters 

both at home and abroad.

The Air Force of today and of the future will 

strengthen the entire Joint and Coalition team. 

Dominance of air, space and cyberspace 

paves the way to overall success. In keeping with the current emphasis on innovation and 

transformation, our future Air Force will 

be a more capable yet smaller force. As 

such, the future Air Force will increase the 

capability and flexibility of the Joint Force 

and, subsequently, will increase the depth and 

breadth of options available to the President 

and the Secretary of Defense. These military 

options will be crucial to the defense of the 

Nation as the U.S. continues to wage the 

GWOT while transforming and strengthening 

the Joint Force for any future contingency.

The Air Force offers an unparalleled set of 

combat capabilities to directly influence any 

Joint, Coalition or interagency operation, as 

well as the enabling capabilities to improve 

Joint warfighting in conjunction with our 

partners on the ground, on or under the sea 

and through the air, space and cyberspace. 

Recognizing that no Service, or even DoD, 

can achieve success by itself, the Air Force 

has focused on increasing the integration 

and effectiveness of the Joint Force and 

interagency team.

To achieve new levels of integration and 

effectiveness, the Air Force will take 

advantage of our Nation’s long-held command 

of the global commons—air, space, sea and 

cyberspace. The Air Force will extend its 

current air and space power advantage. As 

part of the Joint Force, the Air Force is 

positioned to leverage its persistent C4ISR, 

global mobility and rapid strike capabilities 

to help win the GWOT, strengthen Joint 

warfighting capabilities and transform 

the Joint Force—while maintaining good 

stewardship of public resources.

The Air Force faces the broadest set of 

mission requirements across the entire 

spectrum of warfare. We will bolster our 

Nation’s ability to respond swiftly, flexibly 

and decisively to asymmetric, irregular and 

emerging threats. We have embarked on 

AFSO21 as a means to best allocate our 

resources to meet this increasing set of 

challenges.

To accomplish this requires continued 

focused investment in our people, science and 

technology and the maintenance, sustainment, 

modernization and recapitalization, and, where 

it makes sense, retirement of our aging aircraft 

and weapon systems. 

We are America’s Airmen. Our heritage is 

innovation. Our culture is Expeditionary. Our 

attitude is Joint. Our mission is clear. As 

threats change and America’s interests evolve, 

we will continue to adapt, evolve and remain 

the world’s premier air and space force. 

Together with our fellow Services, we stand 

resolute, committed to defending the United 

States and defeating our enemies.
52