Will Air Force units empowered to fight without waiting for orders from several levels of leadership above them directly support ground units in combat with close air support?
I can't say I oppose an Air Force effort to get away from extensive top-down control and let lower level commanders carry out the commander's intent based on the lower level command's feel for the rapidly evolving situation:
New Air Force doctrine published Monday outlines a vision of decentralized mission command that empowers units to work unilaterally in urgent situations, without waiting for multiple levels of leadership to approve their every move.
It’s an invitation to think outside the box in an organization that thrives on hierarchy and process. And it’s a plea to stop the perfect from being the enemy of the good.
But how does the Army fit into this decentralized style of fighting? Will freedom to act be based on joint force needs? Or will this just be a method for lower levels to carry out Air Force priorities while ignoring Army needs?
Seriously, if the lower-level commanders have an understanding of Air Force missions that put direct support of the Army at a low priority, won't higher-level commands basically know what the combat units will do? Without implicating those commanders in orders that deny Army units timely direct support?
I'd feel better if those lower-level Air Force units included aircraft squadrons dedicated to close air support rather than having close air support just one of many missions for multipurpose squadrons.
The Air Force is very good at close air support. When it wants to do it. When the only game in town was counter-insurgency and ground combat against enemies without the ability to challenge the Air Force for air superiority, the Air Force wanted to carry out close air support. Now? I have my doubts.
As I've said, it's a matter of trust.
NOTE: TDR Winter War of 2022 coverage continues here.
