"This paper examines the operational concept, which is not entirely novel, of U.S. Army Attack helicopters operating in concertt with USAF fighter aircraft. Joint Air Attack Team (JAAT) doctrine and tactics are well established and the practical joint employment of these systems has been provalent since the Vietnam War. Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEF) coalescing planning, training, and deployment functions and employing as a single integrated joint force."--Preface.

This paper examines the operational concept, which is not entirely novel, of U.S. Army Attack helicopters operating in concert with USAF fighter aircraft. Joint Air Attack Team (JAAT) doctrine and tactics are well established and the practical joint employment of these systems has been prevalent since the Vietnam War. This paper recommends a level of integration that transcends synchronized operations and envisions the information of a truly joint Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEF) coalescing planning, training, and deployment functions and employing as a single integrated joint force.

This paper examines the operational concept of U.S. Army attack helicopters operating in concert with USAF fighter aircraft. Joint Air Attack Team (JAAT) doctrine and tactics are well established and the practical joint employment of these systems has been prevalent since the Vietnam War. This paper recommends a level of integration that transcends synchronized operations and envisions the formation of a truly joint Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEF) coalescing planning, training, and deployment functions and employing as a single integrated joint force. The argument in this study is that during the initial phase of a Small Scale Contingency, which is also known as the "halt phase" of an evolving Major Regional Contingency, that U.S. military forces would benefit from more closely integrating attack helicopters and air expeditionary forces. This concept raises a number of potentially interesting questions. Could the AH-64 supplement or substitute for the A-10 Thunderbolt in some cases? Would it be more efficient in terms of strategic lift and staging requirements in the theater to deploy in this way? Would this more integrated arrangement facilitate more efficient command and control for the Joint Force Commander (JFC) and more rapidly generate combat power at the decisive time and place? In light of the recent Kosovo experience, these issues seem particularly relevant. This study also examines how joint and service doctrines have evolved. The central argument is that integrating operational forces will lead to truly joint operations, as outlined in the Department of Defenses Joint Vision 2020. If integrating Army helicopters and Air Force expeditionary forces helps to bridge the gap between the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army doctrine, it could lead to the emergence of new concepts and technologies that will help U.S. military forces conduct joint operations more effectively in the future.

We intend to get to trouble spots faster than our adversaries can complicate the crisis, encourage de-escalation through our formidable presence, and if deterrence fail' prosecute war with an intensity that wins at least cost to us and our allies and sends clear messages to all who threaten America." General Eric Shinseki, USA Chief of Staff. "I am on record saying that I think the days of great armies clashing with great armies in huge land battles is over. If US. ground troops are to engage an enemy, it likely will be an enemy that has been demoralized, defatted, and denuded by air forces first. If aerospace power doesn't.

These army pilots fly the most demanding helicopter in existence. Only 3% of existing army helicopter pilots qualify to fly it. Trainees have to learn to train their eyes to work independently of each other - while the right eye sees flight and weapons information in the helmet's monocle, the left eye is free to look outside the aircraft and scan for threats and other obstacles. This book lifts the lid on what life is like for these men and women; their training; the aircraft; the missions, and what it's actually like to be under fire while trying to protect soldiers on the ground.