Afghanistan in Retrograde September 2013 Eager Lion Counterinsurgency Sequestration’S Pain Journal of the Air Force Association
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AIR FORCE MAGAZINE AIR FORCE MAGAZINE September 2013/$5 Afghanistan in Retrograde September 2013 Eager Lion Counterinsurgency Sequestration’s Pain Journal of the Air Force Association Air Force Journal of the WWW.AIRFORCEMAG.COM September 2013, Vol. 96, No. 9 FEATURES 6 Editorial: Sequestration’s Destructive Decay By Adam J. Hebert This is not over. The problems have just begun. 40 Afghanistan in Retrograde By Amy McCullough The massive drawdown effort is already underway. 50 NATO’s New Eyes in the Sky By Michael C. Sirak The Alliance has long had a shortage of non-US ISR capability. Here’s the plan to address that. 56 Eager Lion By Marc V. Schanz As unrest ripples across the Middle East, Jordan strengthens its ties with the US. 68 Welcome to the Hollow Force By John A. Tirpak Grounded units, canceled exercises, and a deepening maintenance back- log make everything the Air Force 40 does more diffi cult. 74 Cope North Photography by Jim Haseltine Text by Brandon Conradis Pacifi c Air Forces drilled in February with airmen from Japan and Australia in this two-week exercise. 82 2013 Outstanding Airmen of the Year The Air Force Outstanding Airman program annually recognizes 12 enlisted members. 86 Old Lessons, “New” Domain By Rebecca Grant The Air Force can learn a lot from what it has already seen in cyber- space. 94 The Second Coming of Counterinsurgency By John T. Correll COIN rose and fell in Vietnam, then returned 40 years later as the main mission in Iraq and Afghanistan. About the cover: Soldiers load materiel into a C-17 at Kandahar Airfi eld, Afghani- stan. See “Afghanistan in Retrograde,” p. 40. 50 US Army photo by Sgt. Daniel Schroeder. 2 AIR FORCE Magazine / September 2013 Ensuring EvEry mission is a succEss usaf e-11a fleet dispatCh reliability rates at 100%.* With a century of special mission experience, Bombardier knows and understands your needs. We recognize the situations and the challenges you face and we understand the solutions you require. Because chances are, we’ve been there before. That’s why you should choose Bombardier, because we have a lifetime of knowledge that helps us understand every need and ensures every mission is a success. BomBArdIer SpecIAlIzed AIrcrAFT. experIence you cAn counT on. Come and visit us at the upComing air & spaCe ConferenCe booth #1009 Bombardier and Bombardier aircraft model names are trademarks of Bombardier Inc. or its subsidiaries. © 2013 Bombardier Inc. All rights reserved. * Based on data available from Bombardier’s Field Service team for the last 12 months. specialmission.bombardier.com Pub SAS_SpecialMission_BACN_8.125"x10.875 H.indd 1 13-08-22 1:19 PM FEATURES 100 Thailand’s Pivot By Richard Halloran Though a US treaty ally, Thailand has a long history of strategic expediency. 106 Photochart of USAF Leadership By Chequita Wood Air Force Magazine’s annual pictorial directory of Air Force leadership. 112 Piotrowski By John Lowery First generation American John 100 Piotrowski began as an enlisted radio repairman and became Air Force vice www.airforcemag.com chief of staff. He lived the American dream. 1501 Lee Highway Arlington, Va. 22209-1198 118 AFA Almanac Tel: 703/247-5800 By Frances McKenney Telefax: 703/247-5855 A compendium of facts and fi gures about the Air Force Association. [email protected] Publisher: Craig R. McKinley 124 Arnold’s Evolution Editor in Chief: Adam J. Hebert By Dik A. Daso The legendary airman drew inspira- Editor: Suzann Chapman tion from many places. Executive Editors: Michael C. Sirak, John A. Tirpak Managing Editor: Juliette Kelsey Chagnon Assistant Managing Editor: Frances McKenney News Editor: Amy McCullough DEPARTMENTS Senior Editor: Marc V. Schanz 8 Letters Associate Editors: Aaron M. U. Church, 18 Chart Page: The Missing 83,000 June L. Kim, Merri M. Shaffer Senior Designer: Heather Lewis 20 Verbatim Designer: Darcy Lewis 22 Aperture Photo Editor: Zaur Eylanbekov Strategic miscalculations; Draconian Production Manager: Eric Chang Lee steps on the horizon; Benefi ts next?; Media Research Editor: Chequita Wood Competing for techies; Generic com- Intern: Brandon Conradis bat aircraft .... 26 Air Force World Contributors: Walter J. Boyne, John T. Correll, Dik A. Daso, Robert S. Dudney, Rebecca Grant, Richard Halloran, Jim Haseltine, John Lowery 38 Index to Advertisers 38 Senior Staff Changes Advertising: Andraea Davis, Mohanna Sales Representative 214/291-3660 66 Keeper File: Massive Retaliation [email protected] 92 Flashback: Into the Ring 117 AFA National Leaders AIR FORCE MAGAZINE (ISSN 0730-6784) September 2013 (Vol. 96, No. 9) is published monthly by the Air Force Association, 1501 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA 22209-1198. Phone 130 Field Contacts (703) 247-5800. Perodical postage paid at Arlington, Va., and additional mailing offi ces. Membership Rate: $45 per year; $110 for three-year membership. Life Membership 131 AFA National Report (nonrefundable): $600 single payment, $630 extended payments. Subscription Rate: $45 per year; $29 per year additional for postage to foreign addresses (except Canada and 135 Unit Reunions Mexico, which are $10 per year additional). Regular issues $5 each. USAF Almanac issue $8 each. Change of address requires four weeks’ notice. Please include mailing label. 136 Airpower Classics: F-117 Nighthawk POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to Air Force Association, 1501 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA 22209-1198. Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. Trademark registered by Air Force Association. Copyright 2013 by Air Force Association. 4 AIR FORCE Magazine / September 2013 Aviation KNOW-HOW When it comes to aviation, we know how to deliver integrated solutions that ensure safety, improve reliability and increase mission readiness. With unparalleled experience on more than 200 di erent types of aircraft—including utility and attack helicopters, frontline fi ghters, and commercial transport aircraft—DynCorp International supports the toughest missions in the most challenging locations on Earth. Whether it’s providing total lifecycle management, air operations or aviation maintenance, we help our government, military and commercial customers reduce costs and achieve new levels of performance and productivity. www.dyn-intl.com DynCorp International provides our customers with unique, tailored aviation solutions for an ever-changing world. Dyncorp_knowhow_series_8.125x10.875.indd 2 6/12/13 9:26 AM Editorial By Adam J. Hebert, Editor in Chief Sequestration’s Destructive Decay n April, to meet congressionally man- moment’s notice. The Global Response Funding shortages prevent the Air Idated budget targets, the Air Force Force in particular offers packages that Force from fully implementing the train- stood down 17 squadrons’ worth of can quickly be deployed in the event of ing needed for the future. combat aircraft and shifted another 10 a crisis. For example, the service’s “Wild squadrons to a bare-bones readiness As 17 squadrons atrophied and others Weasel” F-16CJs charged with the level. The majority of those affected decayed to a “basic mission capable” suppression of enemy air defenses were frontline fighter and bomber units level not suitable for war, USAF’s ability have been heavily tasked with close belonging to Air Combat Command, to provide a Global Response Force died air support missions in Afghanistan. Pacific Air Forces, and US Air Forces off. By the time the flying hour funding High-intensity SEAD training fell by in Europe. was restored in mid-July, Air Combat the wayside, and under sequestra- In July, the Air Force received permis- Command had half a bomber squadron’s tion it will be extraordinarily difficult sion to reprogram funds from within its worth of GRF capability left. to build it back up. This capability will accounts and promptly lifted the ground- The grounded squadrons are flying be vital if the Air Force is called into ings, putting the affected squadrons back again, but the problem is not solved. action against a nation with advanced into the air again. Thirteen of the 17 mothballed units integrated air defenses, such as Syria. Problem solved, right? The new fiscal year will begin at Not even close. about the same time USAF’s grounded After three months on the ground, This is not over. The combat units get back up to speed. the affected airmen and their equipment problems have just begun. What will another year of sequestration were left completely ineffective. Pilots look like? More of the same, but with didn’t fly, crew chiefs were idled, fuels spent more than 90 days on the ground. compounding effects. airmen didn’t refuel aircraft. Training Officials say three months represents There will not be enough money events large and small—including Red a tipping point. Up to then, skills are for readiness accounts, nor will there Flag exercises and even a Weapons regained about as quickly as they are be enough to pay to design, develop, School course—were canceled. Aircraft lost, but when airmen and aircraft sur- test, and install new equipment needed weren’t maintained, spare parts weren’t pass 90 days on the ground, recovery to keep today’s aircraft relevant and available, and aircraft were barely moved becomes slower. survivable. around enough to prevent flat spots in At summertime readiness levels, even Sequestration’s mandatory budget their tires. the recent Libya operation would have shortfalls mean the Air Force will have This gave airmen an opportunity to been impossible unless USAF pulled to cannibalize its future to pay for the catch up on their course work, simulator units from other frontline locations di- present. Modernization and recapital- training, and perhaps even their sleep— rectly supporting combatant command ization will inevitably be gouged to pay but it’s no way to run a combat air force. missions. It will be early November be- today’s bills. The current combat fleet The grounded units slowly but surely lost fore the combat units are fully capable is already older than it has ever been, the ability to go to war.