Genesis of Air Mobility

Strategic air mobility was born over the Himalayan mountain ranges of the China-Burma-India "Hump" airlift. Lessons learned during this airlift were applied three years later during the humanitarian Berlin Airlift of 1948 to 1949. Procedures, techniques and official Air Force doctrine on air mobility was first written during these operations and provided the standards of modern force enhancement thought as found in the current Air Force Manual 1-1. Air mobility is a vital Air Force mission and its doctrine must be proven and sound. As the military enters more and more operations other than war, the aerial vehicle of choice will, more than likely, be an air mobility asset. Doctrine must be dynamic enough for the Air Force to do this job right the first time and every time.