Richard A Forster

Improving Navy and Air Force Tactical Air Forces Integration Richard A Forster

Air Force and Navy tactical air forces have historically had problems integrating well. These problems have resulted in part from inter-service rivalries, interoperability problems, differences in command and control structures, and confrontational mindsets of the services due to lack of understanding and trust between them. These frictions have caused problems during many of our countries wars, resulting in a less than ideal partnership for our common defense. This study was accomplished in an attempt to highlight some areas of friction between the services and to offer recommendations on ways of addressing those frictions. This study was accomplished using research of historical data, review of current literature, doctrinal analysis, and interviews of current aviators of both services. The emphasis was placed on the integration of the two services and how they have worked together in past combat situations. Joint doctrine and literature were reviewed to assess how they should work together versus how they do work together. Some limitations of the study were - the classification levels of some technical areas that prevented in-depth analysis, some socio-cultural aspects of the inter-service rivalries did not lend themselves to examination in this format, and little available written material on this specific subject area. Inadequate joint training is a problem area, which may be a result of the current operations tempo in both services.