National Experiences - British Commission for Military History

Ja M e s s. co r u M *
U.S. Air Force Doctrine:
The Search for Decisive Effect
U.S.A.
From the very beginning of American military aviation, the central idea behind
American airpower doctrine and theory has been to employ airpower with
decisive, war-winning effect. For almost a century, the U.S. Air Force has
maintained its strategic focus and has built a force with a strong common belief that
decisive victory in war could be achieved by airpower, with a minimal contribution
by other forces. While the technologies and tactics have changed, the core doctrinal
principles have remained constant.
The Birth of the American Airpower Doctrine
Although the airplane was invented in America, the U.S. military at first lagged
behind the major European powers in developing an air doctrine. Prior to America’s
entry into World War I on the side of the Entente in April 1917, there was basically
no American airpower to speak of. The U.S. Army could provide only one squadron
of obsolete airplanes to support the U.S. Army’s intervention into Northern Mexico
in late 1916. By April 1917 only a handful of American officers had been trained as
pilots. In stark contrast, America’s British, French, and Italian allies, as well as the
enemy Germans, all fielded large and modern air forces by 1917.
By 1917 tactical aviation in the form of reconnaissance, fighter planes and
close air support attack had become an integral part of all major ground operations.
Specialized fighter forces had been created by all major air forces to establish
conditions of air superiority over the battlefield-conditions that would allow one’s
own airpower to be employed with maximum effect. Long range bombers, carrying
bombs of over 500 KG, had already made cities in England, France, and Germany
targets for strategic air attacks. Airpower, with its ability to strike quickly and deeply
into the enemy homeland, had brought the civilian population and economy under
threat as never before. Airpower had truly made war total.
The American political and military leaders understood that a revolution had
occurred in warfare with the invention of the airplane. They were aware of the
increasingly important role that airpower played in every aspect of the war. In the
spring of 1917 the French government requested large scale assistance to build
up their front aviation force. The French asked the Americans to provide 4,500
* Dean, Baltic Defence College