The US Air Force Transformation - The Air University

176 Pages·2004·3.38 MB·English

THE U.S. AIR FORCE
TRANSFORMATION
F L I G H T P L A N

The U.S. Air Force
Transformation
Flight Plan
2004
HQ USAF/XPXC
Future Concepts and Transformation Division
For more information, contact:
Mr. Mort Rolleston at [email protected]
Lt Col John Pernot at [email protected]
Maj Tim Keeports at [email protected]
InDesign/Prepress —11CS/SCUS Media Services
Cover/Artwork—Market Vision

Foreword
For those of us charged with protecting the United States, new national security realities
have forced us to redefine our enemies as well as our concepts of defense. As we prepare
to fight these new enemies, we recognize the campaigns of the future will involve all
elements of our nation’s might—economic, diplomatic, information, investigative,
and military power—and will require us to develop new CONOPS, technologies, and
organizational constructs that will enable us to address these new challenges. It is these
new challenges as well as historic opportunities to exploit revolutionary technology that
underscore the absolute necessity of transforming our military capabilities.
America’s armed forces must be re-balanced for future operations. What we require
is a capability mix consistent with pre-defined operational concepts and effects-driven
methodology. Future programs must be conceived with this mix in mind. Systems or
capabilities based on arguments that do not consider the emerging joint character or the
asymmetric nature of warfare will find themselves obsolete, irrelevant, and candidates for
elimination.
Adapting to this new era is one of our principal missions. We view it as a process by
which the military achieves and maintains advantages over our potential enemies, and
enables our forces to fight and win, from a major conflict to small-scale contingencies
and in every phase of a campaign. To do so, it is essential that we remain focused on
how we intend to shape our force so it is poised for the future, not for the century of
World Wars and Cold Wars we left behind. We need to develop strategies and CONOPS
appropriate for this new era and rethink our doctrinal approaches to organizing, training,
and equipping.
The U.S. Air Force Transformation Flight Plan presents this Service’s ongoing transformation
to meet these new challenges.
JOHN P. JUMPER, General, USAF DR. JAMES G. ROCHE
Chief of Staff Secretary of the Air Force

Table of Contents
Executive Summary .....................................................................................................................i
I. Introduction .............................................................................................................................1
Purpose of the U.S. Air Force Transformation Flight Plan ................................................1
The Flight Plan Outline ............................................................................................................3
II. Providing Strategic Context: What is Transformation? ...................................................5
Transformation as a “Revolution in Military Affairs” ................................................................6
Transforming from a Cold War Force to a post–Cold War Force ...........................................7
Defining Transformation ..........................................................................................................9
III. Enhancing Joint and Coalition Warfighting .....................................................................13
The Air Force and the Joint/Combined Team .......................................................................13
New Joint Concepts ..............................................................................................................19
IV. Innovation: Turning Transformational Ideas into Reality ..............................................21
The Innovation Panel ............................................................................................................21
Science and Technology Development .................................................................................22
Air Force Battlelabs ...............................................................................................................22
Advanced Technology Demonstrations (ATDs) ....................................................................22
Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrations (ACTDs) ..................................................23
Agile Acquisition ....................................................................................................................23
Air Force Tactical Exploitation of National Capabilities (TENCAP) ......................................24
Experimentation ....................................................................................................................25
Wargaming ............................................................................................................................26
Modeling and Simulation (M&S) ...........................................................................................28
Training Transformation ........................................................................................................28
Lessons Learned ...................................................................................................................29
V. Transforming Air Force Culture and Organization ..........................................................31
Air and Space Expeditionary Force (AEF) ............................................................................31
Battlefield Airmen ..................................................................................................................32
Combat Aviation Advisory Squadrons ...................................................................................32
Combat Wing Organization ...................................................................................................33
Future Total Force (FTF) .......................................................................................................33
Human Capital Management Transformation .......................................................................34
Innovative Infrastructure Transformation ..............................................................................35
National Security Space Transformation ..............................................................................37
Total Force Development ......................................................................................................37
Warfighting Headquarters (WF HQ) .....................................................................................39
VI. Transforming to a Capabilities-Based Force ...............................................................41
Global Mobility CONOPS .....................................................................................................42
Global Persistent Attack CONOPS ......................................................................................43
Global Strike CONOPS ........................................................................................................45
Homeland Security CONOPS ..............................................................................................46
Nuclear Response CONOPS ...............................................................................................47
Space & C4ISR CONOPS ...................................................................................................48
The Capabilities Review and Risk Assessment ..................................................................48
VII. Developing Transformational Capabilities ......................................................................51
Information Superiority .........................................................................................................52
Air and Space Superiority .....................................................................................................56
Precision Engagement .........................................................................................................60
Global Attack ........................................................................................................................62
Rapid Global Mobility ...........................................................................................................63
Agile Combat Support ..........................................................................................................65
Significant Advances During Operation IRAQI FREEDOM .................................................66
What the Air Force Needs from the Other Services and Agencies .....................................69
VIII. Transforming How The Air Force Does Business .........................................................71
Business Transformation Background and Leadership .......................................................72
Business Transformation Execution ....................................................................................72
Tools for Business Transformation .......................................................................................73
Business Initiative Council ...................................................................................................75
Sustainment Transformation ................................................................................................75
IX. Long-Term Transformation: Future Challenges for Science and Technology ...........77
Finding and Tracking ............................................................................................................78
Command and Control .........................................................................................................78
Controlled Effects .................................................................................................................79
Sanctuary .............................................................................................................................80
Rapid Air and Space Response ...........................................................................................80
Effective Air and Space Persistence ....................................................................................81
X. Conclusion ............................................................................................................................83
Appendices:
Appendix A: TPG Guidance for Service Transformation Roadmaps ..............................A-1
Appendix B: Additional Details Required by Transformation Planning Guidance .........B-1
Addressing TPG’s “Interoperability Priorities” ....................................................................B-3
Addressing TPG Guidance in Appendix III Regarding Interoperability Initiatives ............B-12
Addressing Information Superiority Guidance in TPG Appendix III .................................B-19
Appendix C: How Air Force Supports the QDR’s “Critical Operational Goals of
Transformation” ...............................................................................................................C-1
A. Protect bases of operation at home and abroad and defeat the threat of
CBRNE weapons ..........................................................................................................C-2
B. Assure information systems in the face of attack and conduct effective
information operations ...................................................................................................C-5
C. Project and sustain U.S. forces in distant anti-access and
area-denial environments .............................................................................................C-6
D. Deny enemies sanctuary by providing persistent surveillance, tracking,
and rapid engagement ..................................................................................................C-8
E. Enhance the capability and survivability of space systems ........................................C-10
F. Leverage information technology and innovative concepts to develop
interoperable Joint C4ISR ...........................................................................................C-11
Appendix D: How Air Force Transformation Supports the
Required Capabilities of the Joint Operating Concepts ..............................................D-1
Homeland Security JOC (February 2004 FINAL DRAFT) .................................................D-3
Strategic Deterrence JOC (February 2004 FINAL DRAFT) ............................................D-11
Acronyms ..............................................................................................................................Acr-1