Book Description

This unique book examines the role of U.S. Navy aviation and aircraft carriers in the current world climate. With the demise of Soviet Union, the U.S. Navy found itself without an adversary that could challenge its conventional war-fighting capability. It sought relevance and had to decide where to accept budgetary reductions. Abandoning high-dollar weapon systems and accompanying tactics became a tough issue. Throughout the cutbacks, naval aviation remained at the heart of the Navy's force. Naval aviation received support even though much of its capability outpaced all potential adversaries. Critics cite the cost of the aircraft carrier fleet relative to the missions the Navy now performs, and the steady improvement in anti-access weapons as reasons to invest in other technologies or decrease carrier numbers. Many now question whether the nation uses and operates the carrier force effectively. Nevertheless, naval aviation continues to provide the United States with a strong and creditable (although conventional and expensive) ability to accomplish America's worldwide commitment and conduct contingency operations. CHAPTER I - INTRODUCTION * A. MAJOR RESEARCH QUESTION * B. IMPORTANCE * C. LITERATURE REVIEW * 2. Establishment of Institutional Interest in Naval Aviation * 3. Retaining Naval Aviation's Capability after the Cold War * 4. Transformation in the Military * 5. The Influence of Tactics and Modernization Efforts * 6. Budgetary and Political Influence on Naval Aviation * 7. Adversaries' Capability Effect on Naval Aviation * 8. Non-core Mission's Effect on Naval Aviation * D. PROBLEMS AND HYPOTHESES * CHAPTER II - ESTABLISHMENT OF INSTITUTIONAL INTEREST IN NAVAL AVIATION * A. INTRODUCTION * B. PRE COLD WAR * C. THE COLD WAR * D. PERSIAN GULF WAR * E. CONCLUSIONS * CHAPTER III - RETAINING NAVAL AVIATION'S CAPABILITY AFTER 1991 * A. INTRODUCTION * B. THE COLD WAR ENDS AND THE NAVY SEEKS A JOB * C. THE INFLUENCE OF DOCTRINE AND TACTICS SUPPORTING NAVAL AVIATION * 1. Doctrine * 2. Tactics * D. THE INFLUENCE OF MODERNIZATION AND ADAPTATION EFFORTS SUPPORTING NAVAL AVIATION * E. BUREAUCRATIC SUPPORT FOR NAVAL AVIATION * F. THE UNTIED STATES USE OF THE MILITARY IN FOREIGN AFFAIRS * G. CONCLUSIONS * CHAPTER IV - ISSUES THAT JEOPARDIZE NAVAL AVIATION * A. INTRODUCTION * B. NAVAL AVIATION'S BUDGETARY AND POLITICAL CHALLENGES * 1. Reductions or Elimination of the Carrier Fleet * 2. Manning and Bureaucracy Issues * 3. Adjusting Carrier Procurement Cycles * C. CHALLENGES POSED TO AIRCRAFT CARRIERS BY OTHER U.S. WEAPONS * 1. Utilize Smaller Carriers * 2. Drones * 3. Submarines and Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles * D. CHALLENGES POSED BY ADVERSARIES' CAPABILITY * 1. Contested Operational Areas and Carrier Limitations * 2. Arms Sales * 3. Asymmetric Warfare * 4. Upgrades to Overcome Threats * E. MISSION USE * 1. Non-core Mission Use * 2. Core Mission Use * F. CONCLUSIONS