GBAD - The return of 'FOBS'

[Kirkhill]

Which became the USAF…

Because the Army wasn’t a good place to put the Air Force.
And yes, that split has ended up causing other issues.

Perhaps the Air Force, like the Navy, should have had its own Army - like Goering's Fallschirmjaeger.

After all the Army has its own Air Force and Navy. Hell, even the Navy's Army has its own Navy and Air Force.

 

[FJAG]

When I did my Napkin Military I made different element commands with some overlap, but mostly separate, and had sub sections cut for specific tasks.

Air Force was split into Transport and Air Dominance.

I created a whole new Element of Tactical Aviation for Rotary wing, Ground Support Aviation and UAS. Mainly as from what is seen in Canada and down here the ‘true’ Air Force always seem to be Fighter focused - and other tasks that aren’t as “sexy” tend to get ignored.

The split between the Army and Air Force (and Navy too) down here after the implementation of National Security Agreement of 1947 (unification under one Department of Defense) was so bad that the subsequent 1947 Key West Agreement wasn’t even adhered to until the Korean War, and further refining was required in 1952, 1954 and 1966.


It wasn’t just funding issues - but roles that were claimed to justify those funding requirements were being abused (or abandoned). Stop me if you’ve seen this before

10 TAG enters the chat.

 

[KevinB]

Perhaps the Air Force, like the Navy, should have had its own Army - like Goering's Fallschirmjaeger.

After all the Army has its own Air Force and Navy. Hell, even the Navy's Army has its own Navy and Air Force.

Well since the NSA of 1947 the USMC isn’t under the Dept of the Navy (there being no separate Departments now as all under DoD even thought there remains a Secretary of the Navy) It is its own separate entity legally although still considered part of the Naval Service.

But you do bring up the issue of the fact that parent services aren’t likely to support things they don’t see a direct need for, and will support duplicate efforts if they think they need something (the whole Space Force debacle being a prime example of this behavior).

Helicopters, specifically armed helicopters in the late 50’s and early 60’s was another battleground. With the Air Force claiming the role, but not implementing anything. But the whole Army Chinook program was fought by the Air Force as well back then.