The Need for Light Airlift in Future Operations

The United States Military is in a process of transformation as it rises to the challenges of modern warfare. As the threat from weak and failing states surpasses that of peer competitors, U.S. forces will be operating in more remote locations than ever before. Irregular wars increasingly dominate the international landscape and as a result, U.S. troops are deployed not only to keep the peace, but to provide humanitarian relief, attempt to prevent criminal activity, as well as win over the hearts and minds of the population. Already stretched thin by reductions and budget cuts, this presents a strain to the current state of operations. Air mobility is the key to military success in an environment of limited resources and unknown territories. History presents several examples in which air mobility dramatically enhanced Irregular Warfare (IW) operations in these types of environments. The Air Force must improve light airlift capabilities and most importantly integrate those capabilities with the ground force.