Implementing New Airpower Concepts: Insights from Agile Combat Employment

This paper examines a multiyear Headquarters Air Force effort to develop, implement, and institutionalize Agile Combat Employment (ACE) across major commands and subordinate units. Focused on dispersed aircraft operations with allies and partners, the initiative addressed doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership, personnel, facilities, and policy considerations. Key insights include defining combat credibility; aligning ACE with concurrent efforts; engaging stakeholders across doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership, personnel, facilities, and policy; and organizing guidance around joint functions. The effort emphasized separating tactical and operational roles, building capability through phased progression, integrating with joint and combined forces, identifying resource requirements, managing risk deliberately, and codifying lessons learned in emerging doctrine to sustain institutional memory and enable enduring change.