Streamlining the Air Force's Agile Combat Employment Strategy could benefit greatly from the input of the Army.
The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has provided a unique opportunity for the military community to examine and learn from the strategies employed in a real-world scenario. One concept that has emerged as particularly relevant is the US Air Force's Agile Combat Employment (ACE), which has been demonstrated effectively by the Ukrainian forces.
ACE's Role in Modern Warfare
Directed-energy weapons and enhanced fire control systems on cannon artillery could be key components in providing both air defense and ground defense, as well as attack coverage, in support of ACE. Air and missile defense, and long-range precision fires, are two of the Army's six modernization priorities, and are directly relevant to ACE.
In December 2021, the US Air Force's Lemay Center released Air Force Doctrine Note 1-21, "Agile Combat Employment." This document outlines the ACE concept, which emphasizes the air force's ability to be more responsive to ground alerts and operate at greater depth when conducting interdiction and strategic attack missions.
Ukraine's Aerial Resilience
During the military campaign to retake territory seized by Russian forces, Ukrainian MiG-29s were overhead, demonstrating the country's aerial resilience. Ukraine has outperformed expectations in contesting the air domain, with performances in air-to-air combat, close air support, and effective air defenses.
The survival of the Ukrainian air force was a result of a joint effort, including ground-based air defense, distributed basing supported by ground troops, and a willingness to adopt the philosophy of mission command. This strategy, similar to boxing's need for agility and adaptability, has allowed the Ukrainian forces to dodge, weave, and play defense, as well as establish a jab to set up a knockout punch.
Lessons for the US Air Force
The war in the air provides important lessons for US airpower, particularly in the resilience of the Ukrainian air force and the potential of the US Air Force's emerging ACE concept. The war offers a jumping-off point to explore opportunities ACE creates when employed by an even more technologically advanced air component like the US Air Force.
Increased usage of highly mobile multimodal radars, like the Q-53, operating in an air defense role can create a more robust kill chain and thicken the integrated air defense structure necessary to support forward basing. Joint training at the tactical level is essential to the success of ACE against a peer adversary, and the United States must learn from the Ukrainian example and prioritize joint training packages that deploy to combat training centers and work on specific aspects of the concept as a joint team.
The Future of ACE
The survival of the Ukrainian air force during the April counterattacks that retook Kharkiv was due in part to ACE, as the air force operated distributed within relative proximity of forward troops. ACE can provide greater strength to the defense by integrating more closely with ground-based air defense and providing more on-station persistence within the battle area.
In the context of ACE, support between the joint services creates opportunities for exploitation, similar to establishing a jab in boxing. The war provides a real-world conflict scenario that can act as a framework for a discussion on the ways the US Army can enable ACE as part of joint all-domain operations.
In conclusion, the conflict in Ukraine has provided valuable insights into the effectiveness of the Agile Combat Employment concept. As the US Air Force continues to refine and implement ACE, lessons learned from Ukraine will undoubtedly play a significant role in ensuring the concept's success in future operations.
