Published Authors

Credible force projection has been essential to this country’s national policy because of our geostrategic relationship with the rest of the world. The ongoing downsizing of US military forces and their return to the Continental United States (CONUS) have placed increased emphasis on the structure for rapidly and effectively moving forces from the United States to an operational theater. Lt Col John L. Cirafici’s research is timely. Air mobility forces in the airhead are crucial to the combatant commander’s theater operations. He relies on them to introduce forces to the theater, to sustain them, to support intratheater movement, and to redeploy forces to the CONUS.

Colonel Cirafici provides a clear picture of theater air mobility forces structure, their capabilities, and limitations. He has identified problem areas, and recommended improvements. Colonel Cirafici has looked to the future and examined how ongoing changes in theater air mobility forces and equipment will increase the combatant commander’s options in the theater. The greatest value of his study is to create a clearer understanding of how theater air mobility forces act to enhance operations and support the battlefield.