Air boss conference discusses war plan

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Leaders from around the world came together here May 22 to discuss deterrence and change the war plan regarding the North Korean threat.

The annual event provided an opportunity for coalition members, who would fight together if deterrence were to fail, to hear from the U.S. Forces Korea commander about his view of the plan.

“It’s a great opportunity to bring all the members of the coalition together, the commanders of the units throughout the peninsula as well as the (Republic of Korea) and U.S. commanders on the peninsula,” said Lt. Gen. Lance Smith, 7th Air Force commander. “We’re pulling together to come up with ways and methods to execute (the war plan) more efficiently and discuss new technologies and tactics out there.”

With Operation Iraqi Freedom coming to a close, the forces here will take the lessons and new technological advances, like the unmanned aerial vehicles and ground tactics, and apply them in plans and strategies for 2003, the general said.

“Iraqi Freedom and the technology used over there will be rolled into our plans here,” said Smith. “Though we haven’t gotten all the lessons from Operation Iraqi Freedom, those that we do know about will impact our strategy.”

Learning lessons from contingency efforts around the world has a direct impact on the mission here, the general said. And, improving war plans and deterrence efforts will continue to keep the ROK and U.S. forces “ready to fight tonight.”