ABSTRACT
One of the most underappreciated and underestimated aspects of air power is its fourth fundamental role: the ability to move and manoeuvre personnel and equipment to create strategic effects that enable operational and tactical momentum and sustainment. This chapter discusses how to plan, acquire, and employ mobility forces; he presents key considerations, concepts, and choices for extracting maximal air mobility capabilities from national ambitions and available budgets. The author demonstrates the importance of air mobility in both high-end conflicts and humanitarian relief operations and uses case studies to illustrate potentials and limitations, including the special case of airborne refuelling. Although materiel ‘systems of systems’ with advanced hardware and software are essential, as is the interoperability of technology and operational procedures, the author emphasises the human factor: a leadership with vision, intellect, and a professional workforce. He concludes that commanders, drawing either on their own national resources or on the capabilities of allies and partners, must ensure that a system of schools and courses, training and exercises, electronic forums, and personnel policies is in place to develop and retain air mobility leaders and competency. Air forces must establish and nurture such a body of expertise and they must publish doctrines relevant to their circumstances.
