Tough Questions about Joint Requirements

Joint Forces Command officials find there are questions about the role of airpower—and the perceived role of airpower—in joint operations. And, some of the “implications” laid out in JFCOM’s Capstone Concept for Joint Operations (CCJO) led to a lively exchange Sept. 14 at AFA’s Air & Space Conference between Maj. Gen. David Edgington, Joint Forces Command chief of staff, and Gen. Roger Brady, commander of US Air Forces in Europe. Edgington detailed how the CCJO is a response to the Joint Operating Environment (JOE) document, released last year. One of JFCOM’s findings was a need to create general purpose forces that can operate independently at ever-lower echelons. He noted, “There was no division commander who I talked to … who didn’t say he had air when he needed it.” He added, “But the perception at the senior level is that … they need more airpower.” Continue