Airlift Doctrine: Comprehensive History from pre-World War II, World War II, Vietnam, to the Modern Era, Air Mobility, National Strategy, Airlift at Risk, the Future of Airlift Doctrine

In this extremely comprehensive overview of airlift and air mobility, Colonel Miller shows how the worldwide orientation of American foreign policy, the numerous threats to free-world interests, and the speed and complexity of modern warfare have combined with political and resource constraints to produce today's airlift doctrine and force structure.

Airlift is the movement of goods and people to where they are needed, when they are needed there. Since the 1920s there has been an evolving awareness and articulation of how to best organize, train, and equip airlift forces for that mission. The worldwide orientation of American foreign policy, the numerous threats to free world interests, and the speed and complexity of modern warfare have combined with political and resource constraints to produce today's airlift doctrine and force structure. Colonel Miller's study traces these many interrelationships to discover what critical airlift decisions were made, why they were made, and what they may mean in the future. Airlift is the backbone of deterrence. A properly structured and equipped airlift force is critical to the successful execution of the national military strategy. How we think about airlift and how we translate those thoughts into a meaningful expression of how to develop, deploy, and employ airlift forces is vital to the national defense. Colonel Miller's study is a definitive step in that important process.

Contents: 1 THE PRE-WORLD WAR II ERA * The Air Power Debate * Air Transportation Ideas * A New Air Transport Organization * The Woodring Program * Prewar Doctrine * Prelude to World War II * Notes * 2 WORLDWIDE AIRLIFT IN THE WAR YEARS * The Air Corps Ferrying Command * June 1942 * The Air Transport Command * Army Air Force Regulation 20-44 * The Nexus of Policy and Doctrine * White and Green: Doctrinal Hallmarks * The Strategic Airlift Heritage of World War II * Notes * 3 TROOP CARRIER AND THEATER AIRLIFT IN WORLD WAR II * Origins of Troop Carrier Aviation * The Mediterranean and European Campaigns * Troop Carrier Operations in the Pacific * Troop Carrier Aviation in the China-Burma-India Theater * The Troop Carrier Heritage of World War II * Notes * 4 AIRLIFT IN THE POSTWAR ERA * The Fiscal Context * Postwar Airlift Consolidation Efforts * Airlift in Support of the Korean War * Troop Carrier Issues * "Official" Doctrine * Jet Transport Aircraft * New Tactical Airlifts * The Airlift Heritage of the Postwar Era * Notes * 5 THE TURBULENT YEARS * The Airlift Policy Context * The Congressional Context * The Presidential Context * The Airlift Heritage of the Turbulent Years * Notes * 6 THE VIETNAM ERA * The Doctrinal Context * Overwater Airlift * Tactical Airlift in Vietnam * Airlift Support of Ground Operations * Strategic Airlift Support of SEA * Estes on Airlift * Airlift Consolidation * The Doctrinal Context at the End * The Airlift Doctrinal Heritage of the Vietnam Era * Notes * 7 THE MODERN AIRLIFT ERA * The Mobility Triad * The Congressionally Mandated Mobility Study * A View from the Top * A View from Inside * The Doctrine Debate * Official Airlift Doctrine * The Airlift Doctrinal Heritage of the Modern Era * Notes * 8 IDEAS AND CONCEPTS * Airlift at Risk * Airlift Doctrine and National Strategy * Some Thoughts on the Future of Airlift Doctrine