a-67 dragon.pdf

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June 2007, Vol. 1


2/8US Aircraft Corporation

US Aircraft Corporation

Raymond F. Williams

President

John D. Eisenhut

Vice President

Derrick W. Wyman

Chief of Staff

Col. Arnold J. Kampe, USAF Ret.

Military Liaison

Angela M. DOrazio

Editor


1535 Exeter Road

Akron, OH 44306

P: 330-455-1181

F: 330-455-0823

E-mail: [email protected]

Website: usaircraftcorp.com

Greetings, and welcome to the world of US Aircraft.

This is our premier edition of Win Smart magazine. We

plan to use this venue to share our thoughts, insights, and

those of leading experts in the aviation field.

In many respects, Aviation is at the crossroads, in General

Aviation, Commercial, and Military. General Aviation faces

challenges from regulators and is redefining how aircraft are made with all

composite structures and ballistic parachutes. Corporate America is embrac-

ing the VLJ and LJ category as solutions to commercials increasingly over-

crowding and unreliability. Commercial Aviation is expanding in the face of

increased travel demand, increased population, and increased competition.

The world has rediscovered the efficiency of the turbo-prop. Once relegat-ed to the old way, it is again the new way with companies like Pilatus,

Socata, and Beechcraft having proven the point. Fuel cost and availability

are increasingly driving decision-making throughout the world.

After 100 years of flight, the industry is redefining itself in some cases

driven ahead by technologies like GPS and Glass Cockpits, in other cases

reverting to what was simpler and worked better from the past. We believe

that change creates opportunity. Our focus is to identify and find solutions

to those niche aviation requirements which have not been resolved, drawing

the best from the past and the state-of-the-art.

The way war is fought is also reverting to the past when combatants dressed

as civilians and hid behind trees. We are creating aircraft appropriate for the

missions and environments of today.

Raymond Williams

President


Win Smart

2

US Aircraft Corporation2

From the President, Raymond Williams

US Aircraft Corporation Advisory Committee

Brig. Gen. Charles Skip Jones, USAF Ret.

Maj. Gen. Richard Comer, USAF Ret., special operation

Maj. Gen. David Tanzi, USAF Ret., operations and logis

Brig. Gen. Bill Lawson, USAF Ret., tactics and training

Lt. Col. Jerry Kemp, USAF Ret., flight test and training

Lt. Col. Robert Shaw, USAF Ret., human factors and dis

Maj. Ron Shoulars, USAF Ret., flight test

Edward Luttwak, Center for Strategic International Studi

3

4

6

7

US Aircraft Corporation Wins Smart withthe Development of the A-67

The A-67 Dragon:Survivable. Maintainable. Durable.

A-67 built from the ground-up for a moreeffective COIN/ISR aircraft

Airpower plays vital role in BuildingPartnership Capacity

Take A Look Inside

Cover Design by Innis Maggiore Group, Inc.

The A-67

Dragon


3/8usaircraftcorp.comusaircraftcorp.com

US Aircraft Corporation began with a specific concept in mind.In 2003, Raymond Williams founded the corporation to create an aircraft

that met the requirements for Counterinsurgency (COIN) and Intelligence,

Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions in second and third-

world ally countries. Williams, who is the president and founder of six

other companies that specialize in aircraft maintenance, brought 25 yearsof military aircraft maintenance support to his new endeavor. Along with

him was Brigadier General Charles Jones III, U.S. Air Force Ret., a long-

time friend who Williams credits with showing him the need for a

COIN/ISR aircraft.

Jones identified the need through his relationships with air forces in

other countries whose squadrons were the left over World War II planes

that were all worn out and there was nothing to replace them with,

Williams said.

From its inception, US Aircraft Corporation has partnered with retired air

force personnel and numerous other consultants who offer years of expe-

rience and knowledge. After Williams and Jones established the need for

an aircraft to counter insurgents as well as perform ISR missions, their

original plan was to convert existing aircraft into an effective COIN/ISR

platform, something that many aircraft manufacturers have attempted to dowith trainers.

However, as Williams enlisted the advice from even more experts in the

field, the plan to use aircraft already in existence rather than design and

construct a COIN/ISR aircraft from the ground-up quickly proved futile.

We tried to do what everyone

else has tried, which is to take an

existing aircraft and morph it

into this platform [for COIN/ISR

missions], Williams said. But

as we put together the advisory

team, it became increasingly

apparent that this was an inap-

propriate approach.

The team, which was now com-prised of some of the most

knowledgeable experts in the

fields of aircraft tactics, training,

maintenance, and design, went

back to the drawing board to design an aircraft that would be built specif-

ically for COIN/ISR missions. The team offered suggestions for the air-

crafts specifications such as speed, loiter, and lift. After three years in the

conceptual design phase, the first proof of concept prototype was complet-

ed in 2006. The prototype was a side-by-side configuration and was mod-

eled on the A-37.

However, in a manner that has become typical of US Aircraft

Corporation, Williams said that additional information from aerospace and

defense experts and pilots altered the planes design and revealed that a

tandem configuration was preferable for COIN/ISR missions. The design

of the plane was altered to include a tandem configuration, which Williams

said would allow them to more readily meet COIN/ISR specification cri-

teria.

After the first prototype, Williams said the team next sought out one of

the worlds leading experts in single engine, turboprop military aircraft to

redo the conceptual design in a manner that was specific to their unique

capability criteria and attack aircraft survivability.

What has emerged is the A-67, a fixed-wing, turboprop plane that is

specifically designed for COIN/ISR missions with its rugged survivabili-

ty, durability, and maintainability. The plane is geared toward second and

third-world ally countries that are engaged in irregular warfare conflicts

against insurgents. As a COIN plane, Williams said the A-67 must be able

to fly low and slow to engage the enemy but be able to resist ground fi

and speed away at high speed when necessary.

Technological sophistication is not the critical factor in an effectiv

COIN/ISR plane. In fact, Williams said that in many cases the aircraft th

exists today is too high-tech for countering insurgents.

Second and third-world ally countries are fighting the wars of Vietnamand World War II, Williams said. They arent fighting high-tech wars.

The aircraft most suitable for countering insurgents in developing cou

tries is not a highly advanced warplane but rather an aircraft that is surviv

able, durable, and easy to fly and maintain. In the same way that a Cadilla

Escalade is not an appropriate golf cart, high-tech warplanes are not sui

able for countering insurgents, Williams said.

Just because its bigger and faster doesnt mean its the best for meetin

that need, he said.

In many ways, the A-67 is patterned after the single engine propell

fighters of World War II. During Vietnam, these fighters were converted

aircraft suitable for fighting insurgents, and they were successful becau

they had long range, endurance, and advanced survivability. Though the

aircraft are not in existence today, Williams said he has relied on th

expertise of the individuals who understand the merits of these propellfighters for countering insurgents.

Because weve not previously built an aircraft, weve teamed up wit

the best and the brightest in the field, Williams said. Single engine figh

er aircraft is an art and discipline that was once well known, and th

experts in that field are sti

around.

Though some may see the

single engine propeller fighte

as unsophisticated, Williams sa

that this model is the most appr

priate for COIN/ISR missions,

seen during the Vietnam War.

The last time we got ourselve

in an insurgent war, which waVietnam, we drug out the T-2

Trojan and A1E Skyraiders

propeller fighters because the

were appropriate aircraft for th

type of warfare, but theyre gone now, Williams said.

However, the A-67, which is reminiscent of those propeller fighters th

were once used to fight insurgents, revives the merits of a single engin

aircraft for COIN/ISR missions.

That mass capability that once was appropriate is appropriate again

Williams said.

Win Smart

US Aircraft Corporations A-67 program has partnered with some of th

most knowledgeable experts in the field of aerospace defense to create th

only aircraft in the world that is specifically designed for COIN/ISR mi

sions. Teaming with these experts to develop the A-67 is consistent wit

US Aircraft Corporations win smart approach. Ultimately, William

said that the company wins by providing its customers with the most effe

tive aircraft to meet the increasing need to quell insurgent uprising.

Its about our customer. They can win their battles more readily by bein

smart in the acquisition of the aircraft, Williams said. The A-67 repre

sents a mission-specific aircraft at a lower cost, lower operating cos

longer life, and simple maintenance. It can be armed or sensored to the

needs as opposed to taking on whatever aircraft is available and trying t

make it work.

US Aircraft Corporation Wins Smart with the A-67By Angela DOrazio

US Aircraft Corporations E building at Akron-Fulton Municipal Airport inAkron, Ohio offers 196,000 square feet for the manufacturing of the A-67.The E building was constructed during World War II and served as themanufacturing facility for the F4 G Corsair.


4/8US Aircraft Corporation4

With the development of the A-67, US Aircraft Corporation is creating the

only aircraft in the world that is specifically and uniquely designed for

Counterinsurgency (COIN) and Intelligence, Surveillance, and

Reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The A-67s range, short takeoff and land-

ing (STOL) capability, ruggedness, and endurance make it uniquely capa-

ble of executing COIN/ISR missions, especially in areas most vulnerable

to insurgent uprising and ground fire.

According to Raymond Williams, founder and president of US Aircraft

Corporation, every design decision that has been made in the development

of the A-67 ensures an effective COIN/ISR aircraft and supports featuressuch as survivability, maintainability, and durability. Survivability is espe-

cially significant, according to Dr. Edward Luttwak, a senior fellow at the

Center for Strategic and International Studies and a consultant to the

National Security Council, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Army,

Navy, and Air Force, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

The advanced survivability of the A-67 differentiates it from trainers,

planes which have been used for COIN missions because of their fixed-

wing, turboprop engine, and considerable range. However, the problem

with trainers, Luttwak said, is that they are unable to withstand attack,

making them unsuitable for COIN missions in high-threat areas. Though

attempts have been made to enhance the survivability of such trainers,

Luttwak believes that they can never be adequately fitted for combat.

The need for an aircraft designed specifically for COIN missions rather

than retrofitted for these types of missions after the fact comes on theheels of the long-overdue realization that airpower has the potential to play

a critical role in countering insurgents.

Airpower can play a decisive role in counterinsurgency in terms of strike,

ISR, lift, communications, and psychological operations, and yet it has

been neglected, said Dr. Wray Johnson, a retired U.S Air Force colonel

and author of the bookAirpower in Small Wars: Fighting Insurgents and

Terrorists.

According to Robyn Read, a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and current

research analyst at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, the essentials of

each COIN mission are entirely dependent on the unique local circum-

stances that govern each insurgency. However, he said that the ability of

airpower to affect ground operations is important in conflicts against insur-

gents regardless of the terrain or nature of the conflict.

According to Read, it may take the form of presence, ISR, airlift or strik

but the range and speed inherent in airpower can provide options vital t

an embattled government. Airpower is particularly relevant in countrie

with large segments of ungoverned or undergoverned space.

Counterinsurgency, a subset of irregular warfare, according to Read, cha

acterizes many of the active military operations today missions in whic

airpower plays a critical role.

Counterinsurgency has to be tailored to the conditions that spawned th

insurgency which makes each conflict unique, Read said. But airpowe

its mere presence, changes the equation on the ground.

Over the years, the nature of warfare has fundamentally changed from

more conventional combat against a peer competitor to combat on th

lower end of the spectrum, or conflict against insurgents or guerril

groups, according to Major Kenneth Beebe of the U.S. Air Force in his art

cle The Air Forces Missing Doctrine: How the U.S. Air Force IgnorCounterinsurgency, which was published last year inAir and Space Pow

Journal, the professional journal of the U.S. Air Force.

The A-67 is designed to respond to the increasing COIN/ISR need,

both the U.S. Air Force and foreign partner nations, for an aircraft to fig

the wars of today, wars that typically involve low-intensity conflict again

insurgents.

The Changing Nature of War

According to Major General Richard Comer, U.S. Air Force Ret., irre

ular warfare is a term coined to describe fighters or insurgents who don

wear uniforms and so are difficult to identify but are nonetheless comba

ant. Today, however, Comer said that the term has come to mean warfa

By Angela DOrazio


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waged to win people away from allegiance to the legitimate government or

the relevant political authority in an area.

This irregular warfare, according to many experts in the aerospace and

defense industry, is becoming the warfare of today and the next several

decades.

At one pointit was classical war and classical invasion, said

Christopher Danan, the CEO of Octagon Defense and Security, a consult-

ing firm for the research and development of military aircraft. But now,

15 or 16 years later, there are terrorist groups who are creating a third force

and are infiltrating the porous borders of nations.Luttwak agrees and argues that today there is very little traditional war-

fare in which one country engages in a classical military operation against

another country.

With fewer and fewer conventional enemies, it has become more common

for countries, particularly developing countries where the political infra-

structure is weak, to find themselves in battle against insurgents who

attempt to undermine the legitimacy of the government.

The more pronounced presence of insurgencies has demanded a different

kind of strategy and military equipment for engaging in these conflicts.

According to Luttwak, low-intensity conflict, which characterizes COIN

missions, involves the need to detect low-contrast targets, or targets that

are difficult to identify. In conventional warfare, high-contrast targets such

as military bases or enemy tanks are easily detectable by bombers; howev-

er, such aircraft are unsuitable to detect and attack the low-contrast targetsin todays wars against insurgents.

We dont have air power to fight the wars we are fighting today in

Afghanistan and Iraq, Luttwak said.

The solution, Luttwak said, is a piece of flying equipment that can fly

slowly enough to detect low-contrast targets but is not a helicopter, which

is highly vulnerable to attack. A COIN aircraft should also have a fixed

wing so that it can zip in and out of high-threat areas, carry two pilots so

that one can fly the plane while the other identifies targets, and have an

enhanced loiter capability.

The development of the A-67 is the result of this recent shift in the nature

of warfare and is compatible with all of the capabilities necessary for a

plane designed to counter insurgent operations. Danan sees the A-67 as

inextricably linked to the need to address the increasing presence of low

intensity conflict today.

The A-67 is a natural response to the change of war, Danan said.

The A-67

One of the most important considerations in the development and con

struction of an aircraft specifically designed for COIN/ISR missions is thneed to identify the market for this type of plane. According to Read, vi

tually none of the nations most vulnerable to insurgent uprising is in th

high-tech market. He said that high-tech systems are not the most impo

tant aspect of a COIN plane. Rather, practicality is the critical factor.

The sophistication of the airplane has to be balanced with the rugged

ness and serviceability of the airplane, Read said. A COIN platform

choice needs to be one that is consistent with a countrys infrastructur

their technology base, and their ability to sustain and maintain the aircraft

According to Johnson, countries that face the highest internal threat

insurgency do not have the funding or resources for high-tech equipmen

These countries require what Johnson calls alternative technology, whic

is not a low-tech aircraft, but rather something that is more applicab

and effective in countering insurgency in developing countries, somethin

that is easy to fly and maintain.Highly advanced countries, those which do not face a high risk of inte

nal conflict anyhow, may rely on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)

search for potential threats. However, according to Luttwak, only a han

ful of countries are so advanced that they can use UAVs.

Given the current change in the nature of warfare, which has rendered tr

ditional aircraft ineffective, and the inability of developing countries

afford and use advanced aircraft suitable for COIN and ISR mission

nations that face the highest risk of insurgency are left without an effectiv

and affordable aircraft for countering insurgents. According to Danan, th

A-67 offers a solution for these countries.

The A-67 is filling the gap between the classical interceptor, or bombe

and the UAV, Danan said.

No aircraft in the world can begin to

compete with [the A-67].

-Dr. Edward Luttwak

... Cont on Pg 7


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The emerging realization that airpower plays an instrumental role in countering

insurgents has resulted in numerous attempts to modify existing training aircraft to becapable of Counterinsurgency (COIN) and Intelligence, Reconnaissance, and

Surveillance (ISR) missions. In the absence of an aircraft designed specifically for

COIN and ISR missions, trainers which have been modified for COIN/ISR are the

Embraer Super Tucano, Beechcraft T-6B and AT-6, and the Pilatus PC-21.

Trainers and modified general aviation aircraft may look like and even have some

features of a COIN/ISR plane such as durability, simplistic design, and a turboprop

engine. Their inability to withstand attack, however, makes them fundamentally

unsuitable for COIN missions, which are often combative.

According to Dr. Edward Luttwak, a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and

International Studies and a consultant to the National Security Council, the U.S.

Department of State, the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force, and the Office of the

Secretary of Defense, despite additions of armament made to enhance the survivabil-

ity of the aircraft, trainers will never be suitable for COIN missions. Luttwak said that

the survivability of an aircraft is not only determined by external armor on the plane,but rather begins with the internal design of the aircraft.

People have tried to make trainers more survivable, but you must make detailed provisions to the actual engineering of the plane to ensure survivab

ity, Luttwak said.

Because the A-67 was designed with COIN and ISR missions in mind, the plane

suitable for these types of missions in ways that trainers are not. In addition to th

advanced survivability of the A-67, it can carry about 3,600 pounds of external loa

weight which would easily overwhelm the wings of most trainers.

According to Jim Kampe, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel and mechanical engine

with over 40 years of aircraft maintenance experience, the design of an aircra

should be determined by its anticipated missions. The wings and fuselage of an ai

craft built from the ground-up for COIN and ISR missions are designed very di

ferently than the wings and fuselage of a training aircraft.

Because the build of an aircraft is a key factor in how appropriate it is for COIN/IS

missions, Kampe said that converting a trainer into an aircraft suitable for these typof missions is kind of like turning a school bus into a motor home. On a superfici

level, the aircraft can be converted, but the design and internal workings of the plan

will never be appropriate for COIN/ISR missions unless it is built specifically for th

purpose.

If you want to do it right, youve got to start from scratch, Kampe said.

Robyn Read, a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and current research analyst

Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama, said that attempts to convert trainers into ai

craft suitable for COIN/ISR missions are not totally futile and that modifications ca

result in an effective COIN/ISR airplane. However, Read said that changes made

an existing aircraft are typically limited only to external modifications, such as th

addition of armament.

After the fact, the types of modifications that need to be made are fundamental

going to be external, Read said.

External modifications, while feasible, do not address many of the important desig

considerations for a COIN/ISR aircraft, like STOL capability. Read said that the ab

ity to take off and land on unimproved runways is not a concern during the desig

process of a trainer but certainly would be in the design of a COIN/ISR aircraft.

Besides the build of the wings and fuselage of the aircraft, other features of an effe

tive COIN aircraft, such as higher payload capacity and internal gun placement, ca

not be easily modified on an existing aircraft.

Like Kampe, Read believes that building a plane with a specific mission in min

will guide its construction and ultimately result in a more effective design.

If a pure design is available, that would obviously be the optimal choice, Rea

said.

Attempts to modify existing aircraft to be suitable for some other purpose than th

one for which it was specifically designed have been made throughout the history

the air force. According to Luttwak, World War II fighter planes were

By Angela DOrazio

A-67 built from the ground-up for a

more effective COIN/ISR aircraft

The A-67s survivability, maintainability, and durability make

it especially suitable for COIN/ISR missions in second and

third-world countries. Modified aircraft such as trainers are

not sufficient for resisting ground fire.

How the A-67 compares to Competitors

US Aircraft Corporation6

... Cont on Pg


7/8

The features of the A-67, including its rugged survivability, ease of

maintenance, and low-cost structure, have ensured that it will be an effective COIN/ISR

plane in second and third-world ally countries that face the highest internal threat of

insurgency.

According to Danan, the A-67 embodies an entire system of air defense in one plane.

What used to require three different planes, he said, can now be accomplished with one

plane: the A-67.

The A-67 is the perfect multi-mission airplane, Danan said. It carries electronic cam-

eras and delivers ordnance to the designated target. The flexibility will replace at least

three pieces of flying equipment. The first being the reconnaissance plane, the second

being the attack plane, and the third being the mission assessment plane.

In addition to cost-effectiveness, provisions for aircraft survivability have been a top

priority in the development of the A-67. According to Jim Kampe, the military liaison

for US Aircraft Corporation and a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, hardening the plane

during the design phase will allow for affordable survivability features to be incorporat-

ed into the A-67 to optimize their cost and effectiveness. In addition to adding armament

around key areas of the plane such as the cockpit and the engine, Kampe said that wiring,

fuel lines, and critical components can also be routed/mounted in such a way as to pro-

mote the planes survivability. These provisions, however, must be made in the engineer-

ing of the plane; in many cases, retrofitting such features after fielding can be radically

expensive.

These provisions for survivability are significant and have been critical to the A-67 pro-

gram. The advanced survivability of the A-67 is what differentiates it from other aircraft

that could be used for COIN/ISR missions, such as trainers like the Embraer Tucano or

Beechcraft AT-6.

The A-67 is also designed for ease of maintenance, an important feature of a COIN/ISR

airplane due to the limited technology of the areas most likely to benefit from this type

of aircraft.

ISR and COIN airplanes, by their mission, are going to operate out of forward, unim-

proved areas where support footprints should be minimized, Kampe said.

Maintainability is very important for the A-67.

The A-67 also includes sensors to gather intelligence from the air and a communication

system to relay that sensory information to the ground. The aircraft will offer ejection

seats as an option, but also includes a Ballistic Recovery System (BRS), which will

deploy a parachute to lower the entire plane to safety.

The A-67 is a plane that has been designed and developed for a very specific purpose

and for a very specific customer. What it amounts to is an aircraft that is unmatched by

any other in existence.

No aircraft in the world can begin to compete with [the A-67], Luttwak said.

Customer Identification for the A-67

Many of the planes most important features, including its STOL capability, low main-

tainability requirements, simplistic flying mechanisms, and low cost structure, have been

added in anticipation of the market for this type of aircraft. Though the plane is geared

toward developing countries, it is important that the U.S. Air Force also have the A-67 in

its inventory when it is engaged in second and third-world ally countries or supporting

the training of those countries.

According to Johnson, although the A-67 is more suited for a country like the

Philippines because it is less expensive, more rugged, and easy to fly, countries such as

the Philippines will look to the U. S. Air Force, which serves as a sort of mentor to for-

eign air forces. Johnson believes the A-67 represents a suitable platform for countries

facing internal threats.

For counterinsurgency the A-67 is an appropriate platform, especially for countries in

the developing world, Johnson said.Danan agrees, seeing the A-67 as a cost-effective solution to many of the problems

plaguing developing countries.

The A-67 is the perfect response for countries who want to combine their assets of

defense on one expense.

usaircraftcorp.com

modified and used to counter insurgents during the

Vietnam War. These propeller fighters were effective for COIN/ISR

missions because they were highly survivable, could fly slowly, and could

loiter for extended periods of time. However, Luttwak said that these types

of fighters dont exist anymore.

The A-67 would be of little value in the 1960s when you could turn to

propeller fighters, Luttwak said. However, the A-67 has all the virtues of

a propeller fighter, plus it is much more efficient.

The key virtues of a COIN plane, Luttwak said, are flight endurance, lo

stall speed, and, most importantly, the ability to resist attack, none of whic

are captured by todays fighters or modified training aircraft. Luttwa

believes that trainers do not offer any real competition to the A-67.

No aircraft in the world exists today that has a low stall speed that wa

designed to withstand attack, and that has the range of the A-67.

The A-67 program, due to its international focus on coun-tering insurgents in second and third-world ally countries,facilitates in what the U.S. Department of Defense hastermed Building Partnership Capacity. The term isdefined by the DoD as Targeted efforts to improve thecollective capabilities and performance of the Departmentof Defense and its partners. Because the A-67 is equippedto complete Counterinsurgency (COIN) and Intelligence,Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions indeveloping countries, it is designed to empower partnernations to restore the legitimacy of their governments andquell insurgent uprising.

According to Major General Richard Comer, a retiredvice-Commander of the Air Force Special OperationsCommand (AFSOC), building partnership capacitythrough the use of aircraft has become critical in respond-ing to the irregular warfare that destabilizes the govern-ments of second and third-world partner nations.According to Comer, insurgents work from isolated areas

of a country that are difficult to identify and reach withground operations only. A well-equipped and well-trainedair force, however, can help to extend those ground effortsas well as the legitimacy of the government.

Comer emphasized that military power is not the solemechanism for countering insurgents in a developingnation. He said that insurgents seek to win the peoplesallegiance by undermining the legitimacy of the govern-ment. Especially in areas where the government is help-less to respond to famine or other humanitarian concerns,insurgents can easily destroy the peoples faith in the gov-ernment.

Any aircraft designed to counter insurgents should notonly have ISR capabilities, which Comer said providesvital situational information, but also be equipped torespond to the humanitarian needs of the people. Enablingthe partner air force to use the plane to deliver food to itspeople, for example, restores the citizens confidence inthe government and repels them from the insurgent move-

ment.Other methods of countering insurgency are to enter the

fray of humanitarian aid to the people, Comer said. Itsa part of a whole of a country extending the legitimacy ofits government.According to the May 2006 Quadrennial Defense Review

by the DoD, there is a growing need to address insurgen-cies not only through military means, but through per-sonal engagement, persuasion, and quiet influence.

Ultimately, Comer said that victory over insurgentsoccurs when the people separate from the insurgent move-ment, which often becomes a straight contest with thegovernment. That victory is often contingent upon re-establishing the peoples trust in their government.Airpower can aid in that effort by providing military, sur-

veillance, and humanitarian services.Air provides the best means to reach the places thatinsurgents seek out places where the government isweak, Comer said. Having the full spectrum of capabil-ity is important for partner nations.

Airpower plays vital role in BuildingPartnership CapacityBy Angela DOrazio

... Cont from Pg 5

... Cont from Pg 6


8/8US Aircraft Corporation8

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