Air University Press

Maxwell Papers

The Maxwell Papers are the Air War College’s (AWC) selection of the best professional studies papers from its graduates. These works, meant to highlight topics of importance to senior leaders and support discussion and further investigation, demonstrate the excellent research and analytical capabilities of AWC students. The Maxwell Papers are an outstanding example of the research work done at AWC as students hone their critical thinking skills while tackling real-world problems facing the Air Force in the twenty-first century. 

  •  AFD-171204-768-089.PDF

    Toward a Fail-Safe Air Force Culture

    Lt Col Todd C. Ericson, USAF
    Col Steve Goldfein, commander of the 1st Fighter Wing, summed up his responsibility stating, "In the end, commanders do only two things—provide vision and set the environment. Almost everything you do for the organization falls into one of these categories."1 Unfortunately, it is often in the wake of incidents, tragedies, or failures that shortcomings are exposed. [Lt Col Todd C. Ericson, USAF / 2012 / 29 pages / ISBN: / AU Press Code: MP-66]
  •  AFD-171204-379-037.PDF

    US Military Force and Operations Other Than War

    R. A. Estilow, Lieutenant Colonel, USMC
    Lt Col R. A. Estilow explores the possibility that much of operations other than war (00TW) may be incompatible with the use of US military force. He believes political leaders may properly focus the diplomatic, political, economic, and informational elements of power on OOTW; but, often place too little regard on the specific object of the military element of power. Colonel Estilow reviews the military missions compiled today under OOTW, and then assesses the acceptability, feasibility, and suitability of using military combat force to pursue those missions. He observes that the decision to commit US military force to OOTW is critically important today. First, future trends of a changing world point toward developing a strategy that demands nontraditional forms and uses of military force. Second, we have already moved in this direction by rejecting the Weinberger Doctrine, which provided traditional criteria for commitment of military force. Most importantly, we have adopted a National Security Strategy of Engagement and Enlargement, which relies heavily upon and even aggressively seeks the more active involvement of the US military in OOTW. Colonel Estilow’s close examination of these issues highlights the purpose and importance of establishing explicit criteria for employment of US military force (combat force in hostile environments). Such a commitment of combat force abroad may present critical differences from the use of (noncombat) military forces in benign environments; for example, military engineers providing disaster relief. Next, he develops specific, qualitative criteria for the strategic decision to commit combat force. [R. A. Estilow, Lieutenant Colonel, USMC / 1996 / 30 pages / ISBN: / AU Press Code: MP-3]
  •  AFD-171204-434-063.PDF

    USAF Combat Search and Rescue

    Col Lee K. dePalo, USAF
    Colonel dePalo believes that better application of the doctrinal tenets of airpower is needed for more effective and efficient utilization of USAF combat rescue forces. He uses the tenets of flexibility, concentration, and persistence to demonstrate that the current force can transform to more effectively support the global war on terrorism and adapt to new roles and missions leading to a more agile, multifaceted personnel-recovery capability worldwide. This force can ably support USAF combat search and rescue requirements while also supporting broader personnel-recovery requirements for both the military and civilians. The potential exists to expand even beyond personnel recovery to support other missions such as the infiltration and exfiltration of battlefield Airmen. He argues that it is important to define the force as a war-fighting capability instead of as an executable function. Better integration of the force into strategic planning will facilitate matching this capability to desired effects, leading to a force able to execute a broad range of missions in varying environments. [Col Lee K. dePalo, USAF / 2005 / 42 pages / ISBN: / AU Press Code: MP-35]
  •  AFD-171204-730-059.PDF

    US-Led Cooperative Theater Missile Defense in Northeast Asia

    Lieutenant Colonel Rex R. Kiziah, USAF
    In this paper, Lt Col Rex R. Kiziah, USAF, examines current US efforts to cooperatively develop and deploy with Japan and South Korea a theater missile defense (TMD) family of systems (FoS) in Northeast Asia. First, the author summarizes the US security strategy for the East Asia-Pacific region with emphasis on the importance of regional missile defense. Second, he characterizes the ballistic missile capabilities of North Korea and China, which constitute the primary threat in the region and have spurred increased US and allied pursuit of advanced TMD systems. Third, the author discusses the advantages, country-specific issues and status of cooperative US, Japanese, and South Korean TMD developmental activities. Finally, Colonel Kiziah details some of the complex regional security issues associated with US, Japanese, and South Korean missile defense activities vis-à-vis China and Taiwan; the challenges in ameliorating Chinese concerns; and the prospects of longterm partnering and fielding of a tri-country, integrated regional TMD system. [Lieutenant Colonel Rex R. Kiziah, USAF / 2000 / 35 pages / ISBN: / AU Press Code: MP-21]
  •  AFD-171204-700-052.PDF

    Weather Operations in the Transformation Era

    Colonel John M. Lanicci, USAF
    Col Lanicci takes a compelling look at future weather operations. His hypothesis is that a consolidated battlespace picture integrates both natural and man-made elements, which is totally consistent with USAF transformation efforts. He points out that the way ahead is easier said than done and offers several cogent reasons why the weather operations portion of information-in-warfare has not caught up with current USAF doctrine. [Colonel John M. Lanicci, USAF / 2003 / 36 pages / ISBN: / AU Press Code: MP-29]
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