On 10 Feb 2006 18:10:41 -0800, "Reed Judd-Dyer"
wrote:


Ed Rasimus wrote:
snip
Strange is it might seem, doing CAS from 30,000 feet today is the
better choice. With modern technology it isn't necessary to go
nose-to-nose with the bad guys at low altitude. The bombs are more
accurate, the delivery more timely and the response is available to a
much larger area.

It's still fun to see a fast-mover laying it down in front of the
troops or an A-10 shooting over their heads, but it isn't necessary.

Ed, have you seen some of the MC testing concepts on aircraft as
manuever elements instead of simply fire support elements?

One need only look at Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom to see the
application of aircraft (multi-service) as maneuver elements. In DS we
saw approximately 100 days of operations preceding a 100 hour ground
war. In OIF it was "Shock and Awe" leading to the roll down the
highway to Basra and Baghdad. In both cases you could easily apply a
metaphor of aircraft as modern, precise and very fast cavalry.

Which doesn't even touch the "tank plinking" and "Scud hunting"
aspects.

CAS from
30,000ft may be better CAS in it's traditional role of flying
artillery, but what about interdiction, observation and utilizing fixed
wings aircrafts improved reaction time, multiple terrain reach and
improved sensor and firepower capabilities to free it from "fire
mission on grid WXYZ, troops in the open"?

Here again, you point out the flexibility of modern tac air. As much
as folks love to point at specifically roled aircraft, the reality is
that every commander needs the flex to be able to reallocate his
weapons to other missions as the needs of the war evolve. While you
might really enjoy a fleet of air dominance fighters on day one, by
day three you would rather have a bunch of deep interdiction and recce
assets and if you get bogged down on day fifteen you'd like something
with endurance and precision to supply the CAS.

Seems like there is still a role for low and (relativly) slow. Just a
thought, would love your feedback.

Low and slow allows for a lot of things that high and fast does not.
But, it adds a lot of vulnerability. Army aviation assets are ideal
for these tasks and they have developed tactics to carry them out
effectively. Integration of artillery, aviation and fixed wing assets
for fire support is what the fire support coordination team does in
the ops center.

And, of course, we've now added the Predator.

SPC Reed Dyer, 41st BCT OARNG
P.S. I am one of those groundpounder and an OIF vet. If you ever find
yourself near Portland OR or Olympia WA, I'll be more then happy to
cover that next drink.

Actually, it should be me buying for you. Thanks for your service.

Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
www.thunderchief.org
www.thundertales.blogspot.com