Fiscal Year 2004 Research Agenda

Project AIR FORCE-Wide Research

PAF Direct Assistance to the Air Staff Quadrennial Defense Review

In preparation for the FY05 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), HQ USAF/XPX has requested that PAF have an on-site presence in its QDR cell. This presence will facilitate reach-back capability into ongoing RAND research and provide direct analytic support to AF/XPX.

Sponsor: AF/XPX
Project Leader: David Thaler

 

Achieving Survivability and Persistence in Defended Airspace: Mission-Level Analysis Support Study—Phase 8

Several critical Air Force missions require persistence over the battlefield to find and attack targets. Threats such as mobile missile launchers, surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), national leadership and enemy ground units all require long-duration surveillance and strike assets to allow timely targeting. With these persistent missions, however, comes a challenging survivability problem. Spending long periods in defended airspace allows an enemy to integrate early warning information, learn operational patterns, reposition forces, and wait for an optimum attack opportunity for both surface-to-air and air-to-air threats. Shaping an operation to maximize success is, of course, desired. However, sometimes the time and place are not within U.S. control. This study will examine a range of options for providing high survivability to persistent air forces, both surveillance and strike. We will examine onboard options such as reducing radar cross section and electronic countermeasures, as well as offboard support alternatives such as Supression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD), Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (DEAD), airborne decoys, information operations, and electronic attack. Nontraditional solutions such as low-cost proliferated airpower will also be explored. As a final outcome, the study will recommend a set of cost-effective options for allowing persistent airpower to survive and operate in defended airspace.

Sponsors: SAF/AQ, AF/XOX, ACC/DR
Project Leader: Tom Hamilton

 

Strategic Survey of Air Force Non-Kinetic Operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom

Non-kinetic operations (NKO) supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) reached a new state of maturity, marked by the rapid development of policy, technology, access, tactics, operational employment, and strategic integration. This research, requested by AF/XO and AF/XOI, will capture the successes and failures/limitations of NKO in order to aid in the development of Concepts of Operations (CONOPS), doctrine, and tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) for NKO as well as to provide a more complete analysis of Air Force operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Sponsor: AF/XO
Project Leaders: Ed O’Connell, Richard Mesic

 

Managing Air Force Nuclear Weapons Policy and Support

At the request of AF/XON and AFMC/LG, this direct assistance effort will examine the organizational and funding elements of the Air Force nuclear weapons policy, support, and funding to determine if they are aligned to provide the best leadership, capability, and return on investment, and, if not, recommend options.

Sponsors: AFMC/LG, AAC, AF/XON
Project Leaders: Bob Roll, Russsell Shaver

 

Analytical Support for Aerial Refueling Aircraft Fleet Management

In the context of current and emerging Defense Planning Guidance and National Security Strategy, building on the experience gained from post-Cold War demands on mobility forces and mindful of the risks and costs involved with maintaining the aged tanker fleet, staff will determine and analyze the requirements for tankers to support peacetime and combat operations, including inter- and intratheater refueling. They will define and assess options for meeting the requirements that are operationally and fiscally sound. In the Spring of 2004, the Air Force asked PAF to transition this effort into an Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) to assess the cost-effectiveness of options for replacing the capability currently provided by the KC-135 tanker fleet. Results are to be presented to the Air Force in November 2004.

Sponsors: SAF/AQ, AMC/CC
Project Leader: Michael Kennedy

 

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