The New Air Commando

One of the cornerstones of the Department of Defense's (DoD) plan for institutional transformation is a focus upon expanding the military's ability to enable allies and partner nations to join the United States in the global war on terror. As transformation continues its forward advance, that focus will intensify apace. Within United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and the Air Force, combat aviation advisory (CAA) operations constitute a vital niche capability supporting such efforts. This study examines the strategic relevance of CAA forces within the framework of irregular warfare (IW), including foreign internal defense (FID), counterinsurgency (COIN), and unconventional warfare (UW). It goes on to examine the need to increase the size of those forces and looks at potential future structures for the larger CAA organization. In analyzing how to organize, train, and equip the expanded CAA component, the author warns of numerous pitfalls which threaten the success of various proposals. Finally, the author discusses constraints and possible side effects that too rapid growth might have on the unit's ability to achieve its traditional high level of strategic and operational effects.