Expeditionary Airfield Operations

This study examines various expeditionary airfield operations in an attempt to discern those problems that have consistently plagued operations of this nature; with an eye toward how can we accomplish this task more effectively in the future. For the purposes of this study, expeditionary airfield operations are defined as: any rapidly unfolding situation which requires US air assets to hastily initiate sustained, high-tempo air operations at an airfield where this had not been the case. The historical analysis scrutinizes two different case studies from each of the following eras: World War II, the Cold War, and the post-Cold War. Each case study employs a similar heuristic; namely I evaluate each case study based upon the efficacy of its site survey, the effectiveness of initial air operations, and the success of follow-on forces. Ultimately, it is my intent to first identify these problems, and then develop techniques to mitigate them in the future in an effort to improve expeditionary airfield operations.