Case Studies in the Development of Close Air Support

606 pages. New still in torn shrinkwrap. The text offers a detailed historical analysis of the evolution of close air support in warfare, charting its development from the early, experimental days of fragile aircraft and rudimentary air-ground coordination during conflicts like the Halo-Turkish war of 1911-1912 to its current role as a critical element of modern military operations. It examines how doctrinal debates, technological advances, and organizational innovations in command and control have shaped the integration of air power with ground forces. Commissioned by the Office of Air Force History and enriched by contributions from prominent aviation historians, the volume provides case studies that explore initial doctrines, operational challenges, and the strategic impact of aerial support, serving both as a planning resource for military forces and as an insightful resource for those interested in military history This includes a Retrospect on Close Air Support by I. B. Holley! Dr. Benjamin Franklin Cooling III (born December 8, 1938) is a prominent American military historian, author, and educator. His career as a federal historian spans several branches of the U.S. government and academic institutions. Benjamin Franklin Cooling III is a well-known Civil War and national security historian. He was professor of national security studies at the Eisenhower School of the National Defense University in Washington, DC, and author of many works, including Mr. Lincoln's Forts: A Guide to the Civil War Defenses of Washington and The Day Lincoln Was Almost Shot: The Fort Stevens Story. Case Studies in the Development of Close Air Support is a comprehensive, 606-page historical anthology compiled to analyze how air power is integrated directly with ground combat. Commissioned in 1982 by Major General Perry McCoy Smith and funded under the Air Force's Project Warrior program, the text gathers essays from prominent military historians to serve as an official planning resource for the U.S. Army and Air Force. The book explores the historically contentious relationship between ground and air commanders regarding the proper utilization of aviation. While ground forces often view aircraft as an extension of their tactical firepower, aviators have traditionally prioritized interdiction and strategic strikes deep behind enemy lines. Close air support (CAS) is defined as aerial warfare actions-often air-to-ground actions such as strafes or airstrikes-by military aircraft against hostile targets in close proximity to friendly forces. A form of fire support, CAS requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of all forces involved. CAS may be conducted using aerial bombs, glide bombs, missiles, rockets, autocannons, and machine guns. The requirement for detailed integration because of proximity, fires or movement is the determining factor. CAS may need to be conducted during shaping operations with special forces if the mission requires detailed integration with the fire and movement of those forces. A closely related subset of air interdiction, battlefield air interdiction, denotes interdiction against units with near-term effects on friendly units, but which does not require integration with friendly troop movements. CAS requires excellent coordination with ground forces, typically handled by specialists such as artillery observers, joint terminal attack controllers, and forward air controllers. World War I was the first conflict to make extensive use of CAS, albeit using relatively primitive methods in contrast to later military tactics, though it was made evident that proper coordination between aerial and ground forces via radio made attacks more effective. Several conflicts during the interwar period-including the Polish-Soviet War, the Spanish Civil War, the Iraqi Revolt, and the Chaco War-made notable use of CAS. World War II marked the universal acceptance of the integration of air power into combined arms.