Airborne Forcible Entry Operations

As the United States transitions towards a national military strategy based on power projection instead of forward deployed armed forces, contingency forces and their capabilities will become increasingly more important. A key capability required to successfully implement a force projection defense strategy is the ability to conduct a forcible entry. In a forcible entry situation, either airborne or amphibious forces could secure a lodgment and prepare for the introduction of follow-on combat forces. This study investigates the requirements USAF airlift forces must meet to successfully support airborne forcible entry operations. It reviews airlift contributions to past airborne operations in World War II, Grenada, and Panama. Then this study surveys the current world situation to determine what distances airlift forces must cover and the threat environments they must penetrate to successfully deliver airborne forces to potential target areas. Potential airborne forcible entry targets are developed by listing countries involved in armed conflict, drug trafficking, or state-sponsored terrorism, and removing littoral areas. This study then determines lift, distance, threat survivability, and training requirements for USAF airlift forces to successfully support airborne forcible entry operations.