Major Michael Lewis, Usaf
This study analyzes the historical debate between the United States Army (USA) and United States Air Force over the issue of close air support (CAS). Specifically,this study examines four CAS subissues from World War I through the Korean War:priorities in the employment of airpower, the ownership and apportionment of CASassets, the most effective CAS command and control (C2) system, and the debate overwhether to procure a single or multipurpose CAS aircraft. The case study herein analyzes the CAS philosophy of Lt Gen Edward Mallory Almond, USA. The author reasoned that General Almond’s diverse background in Army, Navy, and Air Force theory and employment would make him a logical candidate for a study. While his opinions are much more complex than this abstract can do justice to, General Almond’s CAS thoughts evolved to the following: (1) Air priorities should first be, air superiority, CAS second, and then interdiction and strategic attack;(2) The Army should maintain operational control of sufficient (meaning “lots of”)CAS air assets and practice decentralized control (down to the division or corps level); (3) The services should build and adequately staff joint, well-integrated CASC2 systems to support the CAS mission, and (4) The Air Force should build, with Army inputs, a single purpose CAS aircraft.
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