Military Project Challenges Top Brass with Parallels to Manhattan's Atomic Endeavor
Air Force's Quest for Integration: The 21st Century's Manhattan Project?
In the modern battlefield, integration is the make-or-break factor for success, according to senior Air Force leaders. Speaking at the AFA's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Air Force Futures conference, Lt. Gen. Michael G. Koscheski likened the Air Force's integration drive to the groundbreaking Manhattan Project—the top-secret World War II project that ushered in the atomic age.
"Integration is the key to future Air Force success and the key to gaining war-winning advantage over adversaries," said Koscheski, the deputy commander of Air Combat Command. "It's so important, I'd even go as far as saying it's the Manhattan Project of our generation."
Just like the Manhattan Project, integration is no walk in the park. It demands the alignment of diverse services, branches, and international partners to complete the "long-range kill chain." The goal: Targets confirmed by one military service or nation can be neutralized by another, creating a seamless, global response.
"We talk a lot about platforms and weapons, and they're undoubtedly crucial," Koscheski noted. "But the network and integration piece is the heart of the matter."
Integration is the cornerstone of the Air Force's "re-optimization" initiative, conceived by Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall. The drive includes the formation of a new Integrated Capabilities Office and Command, both responsible for coordinating efforts across the Air Force to streamline requirements and capabilities.
Controversy swirls around the centralization of requirements, with some Air Force leaders questioning if divorcing requirements from operations might compromise combat effectiveness. The Air Force, however, is confident that the Integrated Development Campaign Teams, jointly led by operational experts from the U.S. Space Force Space Futures Command and the US Air Force Integrated Capabilities Command, will smooth the integration process.
Doug Young, Northrop Grumman's vice president of strike systems, points to the B-21 bomber—now a joint endeavor between the Air Force and Northrop Grumman—as exemplifying successful integration. The B-21 is designed to work seamlessly with a host of offboard sensors and platforms, illustrating the potential of the "family of systems" concept.
Likewise, Koscheski praised the Air Force's progress in developing the end of the kill chain—munitions. The service is working on a range of new weapons, including long-range, low-cost options, that will be difficult for adversaries to detect and intercept. This massed, economical arsenal is designed to force adversaries to invest heavily in defense, thereby making it easier for manned or unmanned aircraft to penetrate enemy airspace.
To sum up, the Air Force's integration drive is the key to modern warfare, requiring the seamless integration of networks, platforms, and capabilities. While it's a tall order, the Air Force believes that the rewards—global, agile deterrence and a decisive edge in warfare—far outweigh the challenges.
- The Air Force's integration drive, likened to the Manhattan Project, aims to align diverse services, branches, and international partners to complete the "long-range kill chain," allowing targets to be neutralized seamlessly across the globe.
- The new Integrated Capabilities Office and Command, established as part of the Air Force's re-optimization initiative, are responsible for coordinating efforts to streamline requirements and capabilities across the Air Force.
- Integration is crucial for the success of the Air Force, as recognized by senior leaders, who believe it is the heart of the matter, just like weapons and platforms are.
- The B-21 bomber, a joint endeavor between the Air Force and Northrop Grumman, exemplifies successful integration, designed to work seamlessly with offboard sensors and platforms, demonstrating the potential of the "family of systems" concept.
- The Air Force is developing a range of new weapons, including long-range, low-cost options, to force adversaries to invest heavily in defense, making it easier for manned or unmanned aircraft to penetrate enemy airspace, part of the focus on the end of the kill chain.
