Unfortunately, in Operation Enduring Freedom it seems that key American soldiers (and perhaps even some airmen) were surprised by airpower's increased effectiveness against fielded land forces and thus were not prepared to exploit its successes with an energetic pursuit (using precision air attacks closely coordinated with the maneuver of SOF and
airmobile forces).
In particular, programs ought to call for modernization of attack helicopter and
airmobile forces and for improvements in the ability of Marine units to conduct counterterrorism and asymmetric warfare missions--missions that seem likely to be key aspects of future combat in the Middle East.
In the years ahead, the emphasis on rapid deployment, heightened mobility and use of
airmobile forces will only increase the need for oil.
PHOTO : One attraction of the 120 mm mortar (here the famous Thomson Brandt rifled version) is its ability to provide heavy fire support to
airmobile forces.
This year military servicemen of the
Airmobile Forces of Kazakhstan made more than 7,000 sky-diving jumps, which is a record since their establishment in June 2000.
The Apache was a stand-off battlefield helicopter, although it was armed to provide escort for
airmobile forces in the form of 70mm rockets and a 30mm cannon.
China possesses airborne forces that could serve as the seedbed for nurturing more substantial airborne and
airmobile forces than currently suspected by the outside world.