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U.S. Alliance System, SOCOM Partnerships, and Multinational Air Operations

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  • By HAF A5/7 & SOCOM


How has the US alliance system shaped and influenced the conduct of multinational air operations, and how will this inform future multinational operations? As the military evaluates its structural foundation for coalition warfare, what specific lessons from SOCOM operations with partners can be applied to the broader integration of multinational air power?

  • Belcher, Maj. Drew, "From Star of the Show to Supporting Cast: How to Prepare Special Operations Airpower for Great Power Competition," ACSC AO 2025.
    • Answered by Belcher's emphasis on utilizing SOF's specialized experience in training, assisting, and building relationships with foreign partners to enhance broader coalition air operations. He illustrates this dynamic through Operation Inherent Resolve, where U.S. SOF worked directly on the ground alongside Kurdish and Iraqi partner forces to call in and coordinate airstrikes from a diverse coalition of U.S. and allied aircraft, creating a decisive turning point in the campaign. Belcher maintains that in great power competition, the U.S. alliance system must capitalize on these SOCOM partnership models to facilitate joint and combined interoperability. By training and integrating with partner forces prior to conflict, the Joint Force can ensure that multinational assets can be dynamically integrated into larger coalition air operations to effectively deter and impose costs on peer adversaries.
  • Hobson, Andrew W., "Fighting with Friends: The Impact of Alliances on Force Design," SAASS thesis, 2024, 117 pgs. 
  • Spinella, Thomas W., "A Tale of Two Airbases: A Comparative Analysis of U.S. Government Airbase Divestment and Retainment Decisions," SAASS thesis, 2025, 87 pgs. 
    • How has the US alliance system shaped and influenced the conduct of multinational air operations, and how will this inform future multinational operations? Spinella answers this by comparing how different alliance dynamics in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific have directly dictated the U.S.'s ability to conduct air operations. He highlights that in Saudi Arabia, severe host-nation restrictions on launching offensive missions from PSAB during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom forced the U.S. to transition its regional air command to Qatar's AUAB, which offered greater operational flexibility and fewer political liabilities. Similarly, the enduring U.S.-Japanese alliance has allowed Kadena Air Base to remain the premier hub for U.S. air operations in the Pacific, as the Japanese government has consistently absorbed local opposition to uphold its security commitments. Spinella concludes that future air operations will be heavily informed by the U.S.'s ability to navigate alliance politics, noting that the political viability of an alliance is just as critical as the strategic indispensability of the airbase itself.
  • Wang, Lt. Col. Timmy, "Black Cats: Republic of China Air Force U-2 Squadron," SAASS thesis 2025, 91 pgs.
    • Wang addresses this by detailing how the U.S.-Taiwan alliance shaped multinational air operations through "Project Razor," which utilized a strict division of labor: the CIA managed the program, Lockheed Martin handled U-2 maintenance, and the ROCAF executed the perilous flights from Taoyuan Air Base. Wang argues that this historical case study informs future multinational operations by proving that allied partners—when their national interests align with U.S. strategic goals—are fully capable of operating highly complex aircraft, exhibiting deep commitment, and enduring immense sacrifices (including deadly shootdowns and decades of captivity) to accomplish shared objectives while providing the U.S. with plausible deniability.