Air University (AU) > AUPress

Sept. 1, 2011
The Credibility of America's Extended Nuclear Deterrent

As Iran moves ever closer to a nuclear weapons capability, will other area powers such as Turkey decide to acquire their own nuclear weapons and embark on a crash nuclear weapons program to provide their own deterrent? Or will Turkey’s leaders trust in the United States’ extended nuclear
July 1, 2011
General McChrystal’s Strategic Assessment: Evaluating the Operating Environment in Afghanistan in the Summer of 2009 [ONLINE ONLY]

This narrative focuses on General McChrystal and his strategic assessment team’s analysis. It describes the assessment team and covers some of the early friction between the members of the team who had arrived with the new commander and the existing headquarters staff. It then dissects the
Feb. 1, 2011
Discord or “Harmonious Society”? [ONLINE ONLY]

With its ancient cultural roots intact, the government of China, regarded by many of its people as having a “mandate of heaven,” is leading China into the future at almost blinding speed. Within the time frame covered in this monograph, China will supplant the United States as the
June 1, 2010
On the Fly: Israeli Airpower against the Al-Aqsa Intifada, 2000–2005

Perhaps the greatest lesson the Israeli Air Force should have learned from the five-year campaign against Palestinian militants in the Occupied Territories was the danger inherent in planning from past success. It had long been accustomed to fight short, sharp, conventional wars. Operation Ebb and
May 1, 2010
AF Symposium Series 2010-2, Future Operator Symposium Proceedings

In July 2009 the Air Force Research Institute invited more than 270 active duty personnel, 14 general officers, and Department of Defense civilians to a “Future Operator Symposium” at Maxwell Air Force Base. The objective was to discuss what operators should look like in the future by
April 1, 2010
RPAs: Revolution or Retrogression?

Remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) are in a way merely the continuation of the old human longing for methods of striking or observing one’s enemies while remaining safe. This essay explores the advantages and disadvantages of the systems, and briefly speculates about the future of unmanned
Dec. 1, 2009
Reflections of a Middling Cold Warrior: Should the Army Air Corps Be Resurected?

The need for the justification of an autonomous Air Force seems to be increasingly questioned. This article will argue the issue arises from a bad case of “presentism” that will make it inevitable that we will again be accused of having prepared for the last war in future conflicts. In
Nov. 1, 2009
Leveraging Affective Learning for Developing Future Airmen

This study is intended to help AF leadership and educators better understand the importance of affective learning in the development of Airmen as life-long learners. Affective learning concerns learners' attitude, motivations, beliefs, and emotions. Unfortunately, the affective domain has been a
Oct. 1, 2009
Air Superiority at Red Flag

Originally written as a master’s thesis, Lieutenant Colonel Locke’s Air Superiority at Red Flag relies on data compiled from 299 Red Flag missions to illuminate the role of air superiority. His provocative and well-written study shows a distinct correlation between attrition rates and
Sept. 1, 2009
Resurgent Russia in 2030

This monograph is concerned with the direction Russia will take over the next 20 years, its growing influence on the world scene, and the particular challenges it will present to the United States by 2030. The determination that Russia will be an adversary is certainly not a foregone conclusion;