Doctrine Center 'jump starts' irregular warfare doctrine

  • Published
  • By Christine Harrison
  • Air University Public Affairs
MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFNEWS) --  Air University's Air Force Doctrine Center held a special writing group here Feb. 20 to 23 in order to put Air Force irregular warfare doctrine on the "fast track." 

Subject-matter experts were invited to attend the four-day conference in an ongoing effort to fill a void in war-fighting policy.  Air Force Doctrine Document 2-3, "Irregular Warfare," is being updated to codify lessons learned from recent experiences and to consider the new world situation, according to Maj. Gen. Allen Peck, AFDC commander and vice commander of Air University. 

"Obviously the war we are fighting now against transnational terrorist networks will be a long fight, and sufficiently distinctive from traditional conflicts to warrant a separate keystone doctrine document," he said. "While the experiences of fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan will weigh heavily in the development of this doctrine, we intend our irregular warfare doctrine to be broad and enduring rather than focusing on any particular operation, current or past." 

The traditional timeline for creating doctrine is about one year and normally requires several rounds of time-consuming coordination, but last week's development effort was necessary to meet a June publication date. 

Air Force leaders feel airpower can and should be more effectively used in the irregular warfare and counterinsurgency fights in ways other than supporting ground power. 

"We need to espouse our views of airpower, to include capabilities to operate in the air, space and cyberspace domains, in this type of fight," General Peck said. "We've proven airpower can effectively support other agencies combating counterinsurgency, but can also operate in a supported component role. It doesn't always have to be about having lots of 'boots on the ground.' Airpower brings asymmetrical advantages to the fight that can be effectively leverage by joint force commanders in counterinsurgencies, support for insurgencies, and other forms of irregular warfare." 

Major Shawn Cannon, chief of Special Warfare Branch at the AFDC, said the writing group took into consideration "lessons learned" in the last 20 years to update and revise AFDD 2-3, formerly known as "Military Operations Other Than War." 

The Doctrine Center, an agency under the direction of Air University, also will be a player in the Air Force Counterinsurgency Symposium here in April. 

"Air University benefits every time we bring in this kind of knowledgeable group," General Peck said. "The students, faculty and doctrine experts leverage that knowledge." 

The group of subject-matter experts in last week's writing group included faculty and graduates of Air University. 

According to Col. Jon Wolfe, director of doctrine development at AFDC, five graduates of the School of Advanced Air and Space Studies returned to AU to participate in the writing group. 

The doctrine center also has a working relationship with the Irregular Warfare Center of Excellence at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., to development doctrine that will codify fundamental Air Force beliefs and widen best practices on the battlefield today and tomorrow. 

"We need to ensure we've got a seat at the table as the joint community commences the work of writing joint irregular warfare doctrine this summer," General Peck said. "The writing conference was a good first step in developing the Air Force doctrine that will enable us to do so. It was a great team effort to pull this off, but now the real work begins."

Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link)

Click here to view the comments/letters page