04071cam a2200481 i 4500 rnd000000000071639 RAND 20200811100744.0 030415s2001 cauab b 000 0 eng d 2001048220 0833030515 RAND/MR-1398-AF (Sirsi) a436158 $20.00 paperback CstmoR CstmoR n-us--- UG703 .A34 2001 Aerospace operations against elusive ground targets / Alan Vick ... [et al.]. Santa Monica, CA : RAND, 2001. xxxii, 159 pages : illustrations, maps ; 23 cm text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia unmediated n rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier volume nc rdacarrier "Project Air Force." Includes bibliographical references (p. 151-159). Introduction -- The Kosovo Experience -- Concepts to Detect and Defeat Elusive Maneuver Forces -- New Concepts for Defeating Mobile Missiles -- Conclusion -- Appendix A: Advanced Technologies and Systems -- Appendix B: Supporting Calculations for China Scenario. In response to air power's growing ability to detect and defeat large ground forces in the open, enemy forces are becoming increasingly elusive, operating in smaller formations and using civilian motor traffic, built-up areas, and woods to hide their forces and activities. To help the United States Air Force (USAF) better understand and prepare for a world in which such targets predominate, this book seeks to identify concepts and technologies that could improve the USAF's capability to detect, classify, recognize, and defeat elusive targets, whether dispersed ground forces or mobile ballistic missiles. Emphasized is an integrated system of technologies, focused analysis, and streamlined control procedures that will enable the detect-classify-recognize-defeat cycle to occur in minutes rather than hours or days. Although new technologies (e.g., improved sensors, small unmanned aerial vehicles, hypersonic weapons, automatic target recognition software) are necessary, they alone cannot solve this problem. Rather, it is the combination of pre-battle analysis, new technologies, and streamlined control that offers the potential to dramatically improve U.S. capabilities against elusive targets. This book presents engagement concepts that bring together finders (assets required to identify and track enemy forces, as well as civilians who might be put at risk); controllers (who direct the actions of finders and strike aircraft, select worthwhile targets, and make decisions to engage); and strike assets (ground-to-ground or air-to-ground weapons used to attack the targets). Each concept for detecting and defeating elusive maneuver forces and mobile missiles focuses on attacking enemy vehicles rather than personnel to capitalize on unique signatures that can be detected by clusters of, for example, acoustic, seismic, and imaging sensors, or an integrated system of synthetic aperture, inverse synthetic aperture, and ground moving-target indicator radars. This book should be of interest to airmen serving in plans, operational, analytic, and R&D organizations, as well as the broader defense community. Also available on the internet via WWW in PDF format. United States. Air Force Tactical aviation. Air-to-surface missiles. Bombing, Aerial. Target acquisition United States. Kosovo (Serbia) History Civil War, 1998- Reconnaissance operations. Vick, Alan. author. Moore, Richard M. author. Pirnie, Bruce, 1940- author. Stillion, John. author. Project Air Force (U.S.). Strategy and Doctrine Program. Rand Corporation. United States. Air Force. Online Access http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1398/ 596794 596794