Command and Control of the Third Tier of Mobility, Combat Aviation

This monograph explores the implications of AirLand Battle's concept of command and control for combat aviation at the tactical level. It proceeds by first defining AirLand Battle doctrine's concept of command and control. Next, it reviews the development of combat aviation as a mobile combat force and discusses its suitability for AirLand Battle. To gain historical insight into a command and control concept for mobile forces similar to AirLand Battle's, this monograph next examines the German concept of command and control called auftragstaktik and identifies the implications of auftragstaktik for German mobile forces in World War II. Finally, this monograph concludes its exploration by discussing changes in the battlefield environment since World War II which affect command and control today. This monograph concludes that the implications of AirLand Battle's concept of command and control for combat aviation are similar to the implications of auftragstaktik for German mechanized forces in World War II. It determines that the implications for combat aviation fall under the broad categories of training, organization, command, control and communications. Each category is addressed and recommendations made for combat aviation to fully implement AirLand Battle's concept of command and control.