Fighter Force Training for the European Scenario

The Soviet forces in Europe have dramatically modernized their equipment and are the most heavily armed in the world. The United States tactical air force has responded with increased emphasis on readiness and realistic training. In particular, Red Flag and the aggressor squadrons are two of the most innovative and productive programs that have been developed for the fighter force. This thesis addresses the relevancy of the training by focusing on the Soviet threat and current fighter force training doctrine. A very limited "first battle" scenario in the European theater is presented to analyze the training versus the threat. The general conclusion of this study is that the current combat training of United States tactical fighter forces is excellent. The recent emphasis on readiness has definitely made the training relevant to the threat. There are, however, several areas that require additional emphasis and improvement. This thesis proposes specific recommendations in the areas of air superiority, the fighter/forward air controller/strike control and reconnaissance concept, combat deployments, and night operations.