Marine Corps Aviation Intelligence: A DOTMLPF-P Analysis - USMC Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Air Intelligence Analysis Reveals Imperative to Refocus ISR Support for Future Operations

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Aviation intelligence is critical to the success of the Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF). For the last quarter of a century, Marine aviation has not faced a serious enemy challenge in the skies and has operated with relative freedom of maneuver. This lack of a credible threat has resulted in the aviation intelligence community's losing sight of their role and has weakened the MAGTF. An analysis of the Doctrine, Organization, Training, Material, Leadership, Personnel, Facilities and Policy dedicated to Marine Corps aviation intelligence and the intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance enterprise, reveals that they do not adequately support Marine Corps aviation in its current and near-future operations. As countries like Russia and China develop technologies to deny Marines access and to destroy Marine aviation, it is imperative that Marine Corps aviation intelligence refocuses.

The USMC aviation intelligence community has not had to focus on aviation threats and thus has not truly been tested. Instead, the focus has predominantly been on collections in the form of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, as well as targeting. As the nation's 911 force, the USMC must be in a constant state of readiness so that it can conduct forcible entry against its enemies, as directed by U.S. leadership. If one of these enemies possesses a credible threat to USMC aviation, will USMC aviation intelligence be prepared?

ABSTRACT * ACKNOWLEDGMENTS * ACRONYMS * CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION * Background * Problem * Primary Research Question * Secondary Research Questions * USMC Aviation Legacy * History of USMC Aviation * The Six Functions of Aviation * Offensive Air Support * Anti-Air Warfare * Assault Support * Air Reconnaissance * Electronic Warfare * Control of Aircraft and Missiles * Aviation Intelligence * The Spoils of Air Superiority * Developing Threat Capabilities * Definitions * Limitations and Scope * Delimitations * Assumptions * Expertise * CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW * Marine Corps Gazette Articles * Intelligence is a Team Sport * Solving the 0202 Shortfall and Intelligence Occupational Field * Air Intelligence MOS Needed * Rebuilding the 0207 Aviation Intelligence Office * Reorganizing the Way We Do Aviation Intelligence * Rand Corporation Alert and Ready * Intelligence Career Paths and the Joint Strike Fighter * Conclusion * CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY * Purpose of the Study * The Approach and Methods * CHAPTER 4 ANALYSIS * Doctrine * Organization * MCIA * MEF Intelligence Battalion * Joint Billets * Training * Training and Readiness Manual * AIOC * MIOC * MAWTS-1 * VMFT-401 Aggressor Squadron * Leadership * Personnel * Enlisted Intelligence Personnel * Intelligence Officer Personnel * Weapons and Tactics Instructors * CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS * Conclusions * Lack of Doctrine * Lack of High-Level Support * Lack of Defined Training * Lack of Career Progression * Poor Personnel Management * Secondary Questions * Recommendations * Doctrine * Organization * Training * Career Progression * Personnel Management * Items Requiring Further Research * Material: Technology Support to Aviation Intelligence * Facilities: Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities * Policy: Defense Intelligence Analysis Program * BIBLIOGRAPHY