This paper examines the influence of new equipment development on United States Air Force (USAF) operational capabilities. Beginning with an overview of USAF's foundational role and inherent maneuver advantages, the paper argues that modernization is essential to maintaining decisive superiority over both non-state actors and near-peer adversaries such as Russia and China. Key attributes of future equipment—precision, flexibility, range, and speed—are analyzed, with focused attention on two transformative technologies: hypersonic weapons and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The paper also addresses endurance, autonomy, and miniaturization as critical factors in UAV development, while acknowledging budget constraints and bureaucratic obstacles that slow progress.
Having been established in 1947, the United States Air Force (USAF) is effectively the country's youngest military formation. It is important to note, from the outset, that the USAF came into being as a consequence of the need to ensure that the United States has a decisive advantage in the character of warfare — most particularly in reference to long-range bombing. The USAF has since continued to be regarded as the force of the future. It therefore follows that the relevance of modernizing the USAF and equipping it with new tools of engagement cannot be overstated as far as the further enhancement of its operational capabilities is concerned.
In basic terms, the USAF possesses immense maneuver advantages as a result of its vertical perch — an advantage that ground forces do not ordinarily have. Unlike other military formations, the air force also has the capability of global deployment. Its versatility is unrivaled when it comes to not only tactical goals but also the advancement of operational and strategic objectives. Furthermore, the air force possesses the unique ability to overwhelm a broad target spectrum with simultaneous attacks, which could significantly weaken the capability of enemy troops to remain on the offensive. For this reason, with the appropriate equipment, the USAF has the potential to significantly stress enemy defenses.
It could be argued that the steady development of new equipment appears to have slowed in recent times — most particularly in the post-Cold War years. There is ample evidence to this effect. For instance, in the words of Mark Welsh, former Air Force Chief of Staff General, "airplanes are falling apart… they're just flat too old" (O'Brien, 2016, p. 137). It is also important to note that Army General John Campbell has warned that although U.S. military personnel is largely adaptive, a sudden crisis would effectively expose inherent weaknesses with respect to capability degradations (Laslie, 2015). The B-52 bomber, for instance, has not been fully retired despite having served as a common heavy bomber for slightly over five decades (Laslie, 2015). Although there has been significant progress in the refurbishment and replacement of USAF airlifters, there is still more to be done on the new equipment development front — particularly given that some aircraft still utilize analogue electronic systems.
The USAF must stay ahead of enemy capabilities. While a slow pace of new equipment development does not necessarily hurt operational capabilities against adversaries that lack robust air defenses or air forces (such as ISIS), the USAF's potential could wane in the face of rising powers such as Russia and China.
According to O'Brien (2016), the USAF has in the past attempted to ensure that its technological advantage is far greater than that of its real and perceived adversaries. This it has done by staying ahead of the game in new equipment development. Towards this end, O'Brien (2016) is of the opinion that the equipment of the future ought to possess a number of key attributes, including — but not limited to — precision, flexibility, range, and speed. These ought to be seen as the fundamental characteristics of airpower. Speed, as one of the key factors that new equipment development must take into consideration, "means that missions can be completed in shorter times and more missions can be carried out each day" (Fino, 2017, p. 112). Speed also adds to the element of surprise and exploits the unpreparedness of the enemy.
With regard to range, considerations include the need to ensure that the offensive advantage the USAF holds over surface forces is further enhanced. According to Fino (2017), range also means that the USAF has greater potential for the defense of U.S. airspace. At the operational level, flexibility — as another key component to be taken into account in the development of new equipment — permits air forces to implement maneuvers whereby it becomes easier to shift decisively and quickly from one campaign objective to another (Fino, 2017).
"Precision, speed, range, flexibility, and hypersonic weapons"
"UAV history, operational use, endurance, and autonomy"
Pickrell, R. (2018). The US Air Force is asking for hypersonic weapon ideas as a new arms race with China and Russia heats up. Retrieved from
Valavanis, K. P. & Vachtsevanos, G. J. (Eds.). (2014). Handbook of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. New York, NY: Springer-Verlag.
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