Sharpening The Needle

In order to prepare for future urban operations, the USAF must place Non-Lethal Weapon (NLW) development in the forefront of its research programs and match them to Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). The world population continues to grow and an ever-increasing percentage is moving to the cities to find sustenance and employment. America's enemies have discovered how to anchor an otherwise superior force in the urban quagmire, where a single instance of Collateral Damage (CD) can have strategic effects. These two factors will converge in the future and place the US at a significant disadvantage unless the USAF prepares now. Non-lethal technology can avoid massive structural damage and civilian deaths during urban combat by giving commanders options in situations where employing lethal technology would be inappropriate. The Active Denial System (ADS), Infrasound generator, and High-Power Microwave (HPM) are different types of electro-magnetic NLW that can easily be matched to UAS. The UAS has the unique advantages of persistence, expendability, and low cost compared to manned aircraft. Future adversaries will no doubt continue to recognize the asymmetric advantage of urban combat when facing the US. NLW-equipped air power can provide crucial support to joint forces across the entire spectrum of urban warfare, from peacekeeping to major combat operations. NLW-equipped aircraft could mean the difference between success and failure for the US in future joint urban operations.