Air Force Doctrine Document 2-1.1

Unmanned aerial
vehicles.
of these weapons have long launch ranges and some have very quick
reaction times which can eliminate or reduce the risk of harm to friendly
forces.
❇ Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). UAVs may be used in counterair
operations to provide surveillance, reconnaissance, deception, jamming,
decoy, or harassment of enemy forces and air defense systems. Although
UAVs are primarily used in an enhancement role, UAVs will
soon be used in all functional areas. These vehicles may be
preprogrammed or remotely piloted. They provide valuable intelligence
to friendly forces while providing confusing and erroneous information
to the enemy. UAVs reduce the risk to friendly forces by making the
enemy use valuable weapons and resources to evaluate and attack these
vehicles.
❇ Special Operations Forces (SOF). SOF enhance OCA operations
in a number of ways. SOF can conduct direct attacks, collect intelligence,
and provide terminal guidance for attacks against valuable enemy targets.
The employment of SOF may free other air assets to strike other priority
targets. In surgical operations, SOF strike enemy targets which may
be beyond the capability of precision munitions. Examples include targets
concealed by triple canopy jungle or “safe haven” targets. SOF
may also be used in a synergistic attack role with other air operations
to locate, positively identify, and then designate targets for friendly
forces to destroy. JFACC planners in the AOC coordinate with the SOLE
for timely integration, coordination, and deconfliction with special operations
assets.
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