America's quiet professionals: specialized airpower—yesterday, today, and tomorrow

Air & Space Power Journal, Spring, 2005 by Michael W. Wooley

Editorial Abstract: The commander of Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) uses illustrations from recent operations to encapsulate AFSOC's contributions to the global war on terrorism. He briefly explains where AFSOC is right now, how it got here, and where the command is going.

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On the night of 17 June 2004, a coalition special operations team camped inside Afghanistan. One member of the team, an Air Force combat controller, was attacked while manning a security post. The initial enemy fire raked the position, destroyed one vehicle, and detonated the ammunition stored inside. The combat controller engaged the enemy as secondary explosions rocked the vehicle. He raced back to find two members of the team severely wounded. Grabbing a grenade launcher, he repelled the attackers. He then contacted command and control, and requested close air support (CAS) and medevac. His suppressive fire bought time for the team to defend themselves against the 15-20 anticoalition militia members. When a flight of AH-64 Apaches arrived, he controlled the scene, enabling their 30-millimeter cannons to find, fix, and target the enemy forces. Overwhelmed, the enemy withdrew, and the team then successfully medevaced.

I AM VERY PROUD of all our military men and women. As the above story illustrates, they deploy in defense of America's national security and willingly put their lives on the line for freedom. Every deployed Airman fighting this war knows why he or she is out there--they have not forgotten the 2,996 lives lost on 9/11. We are at war--and we will win.

This article briefly explains how Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) views where we are right now, how we got here, and where we are going.

Where We Are Right Now

AFSOC is composed of approximately 20,000 Airmen who provide the Air Force special operations with combat power and combat search and rescue (CSAR). A common misconception is that special operations forces (SOF) replace conventional force capabilities--they do not. SOF units complement our conventional capabilities and are indispensable in meeting some of the toughest challenges the United States faces in fighting the global war on terrorism (GWOT).

Dead Men Tell No Tales

Because terrorist organizations often maintain a very fluid leadership structure, it is difficult to create a clear leadership picture for many of the terrorist organizations we are fighting. When we capture or kill one leader, another quickly takes his place.

Although the conventional Air Force does an outstanding job in finding, fixing, tracking, targeting, engaging, and assessing the fleeting-target set that is our terrorist adversary--creating a smoking crater has its draw-backs. SOF personnel can remove a terrorist threat very effectively by using AC-130 gunships; likewise, they provide the capability to pinpoint and capture the terrorists alive and search the location for sensitive information.

Make no mistake, creating a smoking crater is often the appropriate response. However, the ability to interrogate some terrorists is invaluable, and it is this ability that helps us determine and eradicate a terrorist organization's leadership. For example, information acquired through a succession of SOF terrorist captures led us to Saddam Hussein.

We gain invaluable information on the capabilities of terrorist organizations by searching through the terrorists' "stuff" at the hit location. Captured items can reveal the weapons terrorists have available and provide insight into future terrorist actions. For example, exploitations of SOF sites located videos in Afghanistan in 2001, positively connecting al-Qaeda to 9/11.

Kicking Down the Door

The GWOT requires high-fidelity and actionable intelligence. SOF units are specifically trained to acquire this information. Cable News Network and Fox News have shown numerous videos of US forces searching Iraqi homes. Although conventional forces can knock down a door as well as SOF personnel can--finding the right door is a mission they are trained and equipped to perform very well.

During the GWOT operations, our Battlefield Airmen were on the ground with the SOF units of our sister services, kicking down doors in nonpermissive territory. Those Airmen enabled airpower to support these operations by making calls for fire, providing emergency medical support, and producing tailored weather forecasts. Our special-operations MC-130 aircraft and MH-53 helicopters got SOF people to the right door--when they needed to be there. AFSOC's AC-130 aircraft were overhead making sure all of the other doors stayed closed.

Teach a Man to Fish and He Eats for a Lifetime

There is more to special operations than the direct-attack missions mentioned above. They can also train some of our new coalition partners to fight the terrorist threat internally without US aid. This capability to engage with training is critical. AFSOC's 6th Special Operations Squadron's (SOS) combat aviation advisory (CAA) mission is essential to building strong coalitions. These special operators work closely with foreign air forces. The 6th SOS trains, advises, and aids our new coalition partners in integrating their forces into a US coalition.