This publication provides joint doctrine for planning, employing, and assessing air mobility operations across the range of military operations. Air mobility is a network of systems that combines airlift, airdrop, aeromedical evacuation (AE), air refueling (AR), and air mobility support assets, processes, and procedures into an integrated whole to support the transport of personnel and materiel. The Secretary of Defense (SecDef) directs the assignment of air mobility forces to the Commander, United States Transportation Command (CDRUSTRANSCOM) and other combatant commanders (CCDRs). To deter threats against, or to assist in the defense or pursuit of United States (US) national interests, the Department of Defense maintains forces, organizations, and processes necessary to conduct air mobility operations. The National Air Mobility System (NAMS) is a broad and comprehensive system that provides the President, SecDef, and CCDRs with rapid global mobility. The mobility air forces (MAF) are those forces assigned to combatant commands that provide rapid global mobility and conduct air mobility operations. The MAF's four core functions are airlift, AR, air mobility support, and AE. NAMS consists of forces that perform intertheater, intratheater, and organic mobility operations. US Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) and the geographic combatant commands (GCCs) possess air mobility assets that are capable of performing both intertheater and intratheater operations. A unique aspect of these operations is their reliance on Global Air Mobility Support System (GAMSS) and the worldwide command and control (C2) capabilities of the Air Mobility Command 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center (618th TACC). The GAMSS is comprised of a limited number of permanent en route support locations plus mobile forces that deploy under the global reach laydown strategy. This publication has been prepared under the direction of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. It sets forth joint doctrine to govern the activities and performance of the Armed Forces of the United States in joint operations and provides the doctrinal basis for interagency coordination and for US military involvement in multinational operations. It provides military guidance for the exercise of authority by combatant commanders and other joint force commanders (JFCs) and prescribes joint doctrine for operations, education, and training. It provides military guidance for use by the Armed Forces in preparing their appropriate plans. It is not the intent of this publication to restrict the authority of the JFC from organizing the force and executing the mission in a manner the JFC deems most appropriate to ensure unity of effort in the accomplishment of the overall objective. Joint doctrine established in this publication applies to the joint staff, commanders of combatant commands, subunified commands, joint task forces, subordinate components of these commands, and the Services. The guidance in this publication is authoritative; as such, this doctrine will be followed except when, in the judgment of the commander, exceptional circumstances dictate otherwise.

Advanced aerial mobility is a newly emerging industry that aims to develop and operate new air vehicles potentially capable of safe, reliable, and low-noise vertical flight. The world has seen a recent increase in the adoption of electric vertical lift aircraft for urban, suburban and rural operations. These new innovations and technologies change the way that we move cargo and people, affecting industries across the economy. These changes will challenge today's airspace monitoring systems and regulatory environment. The U.S. government and its regulatory agencies need technical guidance to facilitate the development of these technologies, and to create the regulatory framework to foster the growth of this vertical flight industry to the benefit of the aviation industry. Advancing Aerial Mobility evaluates the potential benefits and challenges associated with this emerging industry. This report provides recommendations that seek to foster an environment in which the nation can maintain its leading position in developing, deploying, and embracing these new technologies. This publication presents a national vision for advanced aerial mobility, market evolution, and safety and security management.

The US Air Force provides unique warfighting capabilities that are essential to joint operations. Foremost among these capabilities is the ability to rapidly focus American combat power and life-saving resources anywhere on the planet. Frequently, and especially in the opening stages of a conflict, air and space power may be the main manifestation of combat power we bring to bear against an adversary. Of these capabilities, the Air Force provides a very singular form of power: the ability to rapidly position and sustain forces at places and times of our choosing. This pivotal capability—air mobility—is the essential ingredient for modern US expeditionary operations and supports joint force commander-desired effects to deter, dissuade, or destroy the enemy. Force projection provides for presence, mass and maneuver, surprise, security and economy. It is the sum of an impressive fleet of transport and aerial refueling aircraft, underpinned by a flexible support system, and operated by a specialized cadre of active duty Air Force, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, and Air Force civilian personnel. While other forms of American military power have some degree of inherent mobility, the scale of flexibility and responsiveness of the Air Force's air mobility forces is singular in the history of world conflict. This Air Force Doctrine Document (AFDD) 3-17, Air Mobility Operations, has been prepared under the direction of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. This document establishes doctrinal guidance for the application of the air mobility forces and is consistent with, and complementary to, capstone doctrine contained in AFDD 1, Air Force Basic Doctrine, and AFDD 2, Operations and Organization. AFDD 3-17 serves as the keystone doctrine document for employing airlift, air refueling, and air mobility support elements as an integrated system of operations.

Mobility forces dominate air operations in the post?Cold War era, at least statistically. Colonel Lenderman examines this trend and

The Air Mobility Command (AMC) has faced a host of challenges in recent years that compromise its ability to cost-effectively fulfill the dual goals of meeting peacetime demand and maintaining wartime readiness. This report compares the peacetime tempo of air mobility operations during the Cold War with that of the post-Cold War period in efforts to pinpoint the challenges AMC faces as well as to suggest corrective measures that AMC should take to address these challenges.

Since airlift was first used as a tool of national security during the Berlin Airlift, it has grown to deliver passengers, cargo, and fuel to operations worldwide in support of national security. However, Air Mobility Command is the single organization that performs for air mobility for the United States. Cm%Currently, the Air Force has structured Air Mobility Command for war, yet this command performs operations during times when the US is at peace. Air Mobility Command performs missions to support US military operations in hostile environments as well as humanitarian operations in non-hostile environments. The number of operations requiring mobility air forces has been on the rise since the Cold War ended 10 years ago. These steady-state operations seem to over task mobility air forces. This study centers on the question: Can Air Mobility Command's force structure, organized for two major-theater wars, fulfill that requirement and perform the steady-state operations in today's strategic environment? This study finds that Air Mobility Command's force structure cannot meet its requirements for two major-theater wars and that the current force structure is inefficient in meeting the requirements for steady-state operations. First, this thesis presents a primer to acclimate the reader to the complex environment and multifaceted requirements of mobility air forces. Next, this thesis examines Air Mobility Command's current force structure as determined by Department of Defense requirements for war. Then this thesis also describes the various types of missions that Air Mobility Command performs on a steady-state basis and evaluates the importance of these operations in fulfilling US National Security Strategy. Finally, this thesis recommends action that the Air Force and the Department of Defense should investigate in order to improve their air mobility capabilities in.