Aerospace Operations in Urban Environments: Exploring New Concepts

Abstract

Abstract : Since the end of the Cold War, U.S. forces have been involved in a number of operations (peacekeeping, humanitarian relief, and non-combatant evacuations) that have taken place in urban settings. Peace operations in Somalia, especially the deaths of 18 U.S. servicemen and the wounding of almost 100 others on October 3, 1993, profoundly influenced the American public's perceptions of modern urban combat in the developing world. For military professionals, Somalia also was a painful reminder that the technological and operational dominance the United States experienced on the conventional battlefield during Desert Storm did not necessarily carry over into urban peacekeeping. For infantrymen in particular, the fierce fighting of Bloody Sunday-the most intense light infantry engagements since the Vietnam War-brought home the relevance of urban combat, its nastiness, and the need to develop concepts and tactics better suited to this unique environment. This report assesses the likelihood that the U.S. military will be called upon to conduct urban operations; explores the political, legal, and physical aspects of the urban operational environment; presents new concepts to accomplish key operational tasks; identifies key technologies that will need to be developed to execute these concepts; and offers lessons from past operations.