As Brown sees things, airpower will be a critical factor in combat on the “non-linear” battlefield, a fluid, constantly shifting space devoid of lines and tidy “front” and “rear” areas. Airpower, in his view, delivers three essential elements—mobility, flexibility, and rapid response. All will be needed if small, highly specialized groups of ground troops are going to prevail in combat. He thinks the new V-22 Osprey (recently approved for production) will greatly improve SOF flexibility. The Air Force is supposed to buy about 50 of them over the next several years.
The 13th Fighter Squadron from Misawa Air Base, Japan, deployed its new F-35A fighters to a major exercise for the first time, sending them to Pacific Air Forces’ premier air combat training event: Red Flag-Alaska.