全球智库信息集成服务系统

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) Can More Systematically Take Security Cooperation (SC) into Account

• Although SC is stated to be a high strategic priority, it is not systematically factored into processes at lower echelons and does not appear as a systematic, explicit component of trade-offs that inform decisions.
• Important foundational analyses of USAF capabilities and gaps that help justify USAF programs often do not consider contributions of allies and partners.
• At times, USAF develops SC initiatives ad hoc outside traditional decisionmaking processes.
• SC as a mission lacks commonality with other mission and process structures in terms of metrics and differentiation of resources.
• The later in a process SC impact is initially raised, the more challenging it is to ensure that decisions about USAF programs incorporate it successfully.
• Although it is still new, the Security Cooperation Enterprise Governance Structure has had positive effects on socializing SC across USAF and synchronizing SC activities, but effects on core processes and on establishing SC priorities are not yet clear.

Security cooperation (SC) is a key component of U.S. national security strategy, a high priority in U.S. Department of Defense guidance, and a key mission of the U.S. Air Force (USAF). USAF must explicitly factor SC into its plans and programs for organizing, training, and equipping the force. This report reviews two core USAF decisionmaking processes — the strategy, planning, and programming process and the concept development and acquisition process — to determine the extent to which decisionmakers consider SC impact and to recommend ways to make such considerations systematic and explicit.

The authors explored four case studies of SC-related programs and initiatives to draw lessons from their decision outcomes: (1) undergraduate pilot training, (2) the light-attack aircraft, (3) the C-17 Heavy Airlift Wing, and (4) the Air Advisor Academy. They tell a story of this key USAF activity that is underrepresented in core USAF decisionmaking processes and not systematically or explicitly factored into decisions that could affect USAF's capacity to engage with foreign partners.

The authors recommend that, regardless of any change in corporate planning structure, USAF factor SC impact into decisions and trade-offs in the early stages of organizing, training, and equipping processes and make these trade-offs explicit to top USAF decisionmakers.

• Chapter One

  Introduction

• Chapter Two

  Security Cooperation in Core Air Force Decisionmaking Processes

• Chapter Three

  Four Case Studies of Security Cooperation–Related Decisions

• Chapter Four

  Options and Recommendations for Factoring Security Cooperation Impact into Core Air Force Decisionmaking Processes