Air University (AU) > AUPress

June 1, 2007
Command in Air War

This work examines whether “centralized control and decentralized execution” is a valid doctrinal tenet, given the technological advances in the information age. Fascinating scenarios from recent operations, set in the context of a “complex air operations system,” show the
Nov. 1, 2006
Crony Attack

Major Tolbert details how a nation can use crony attack to disrupt, if not destroy, “key elite supporters of an enemy leader to effect policy change in the attacker’s favor.” He defines crony attack, discusses its methodology, and outlines ways in which its effectiveness can be
Sept. 1, 2006
Combat Search and Rescue in Desert Storm

Budgetary, political, and organizational changes left the USAF unprepared for the combat search and rescue (CSAR) mission going into Desert Storm. Colonel Whitcomb relates his and others’ experiences from CSAR in Southeast Asia and examines the organization that was established to provide CSAR
Aug. 1, 2005
Circling the Earth

In December 1942, barely a year after the United States had entered World War II, the American military establishment was already planning a postwar overseas base network. Although initially designed to support an international police force, the plans increasingly assumed a national character as the
Oct. 1, 2004
Creech Blue

Colonel Slife chronicles the influence of the late Gen Wilbur L. "Bill" Creech—a leader, visionary, warrior, and mentor—in the areas of equipment and tactics, training, organization, and leader development. His study serves both to explain the context of a turbulent time in our
Dec. 1, 2001
Comparative Analysis of Internal and External Solutions to Provide Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation Functionality

Major Panarisi summarizes the development of current and proposed family of Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (ACMI) systems-considered the gold standard of training mission enhancements-and presents the capabilities each system provides. He uses the Kadena Interim Training System as a suitable
Aug. 1, 2001
China in Space

On 8 October 1956, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, presided over by Mao Tse-tung, established the Fifth Re-search Academy of the Ministry of National Defense to develop a space effort. This was the official beginning of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) space program.
Dec. 1, 1999
Center of Gravity or Center of Confusion

Despite its crucial role in campaign planning, the center of gravity (COG) concept remains poorly understood and inconsistently applied. This research paper seeks to understand the common sources of confusion that can occur when the COG concept is employed. It investigates the extent to which these
Aug. 1, 1999
Charting the Nation’s Course

This study analyzes how the processes used in the national security planning influence the results. It begins by discussing the nature of strategic planning for national security, eventually defining it as a disciplined effort involving the allocation of resources to programmed activities aimed at
June 1, 1999
China as Peer Competitor?

In China as Peer Competitor? Trends in Nuclear Weapons, Space, and Information Warfare Lt Col Kathryn L. Gauthier analyzes the potential for China to emerge as a peer competitor of the United States in the coming decades. First, she examines two traditional pillars of national strength—