As political and military leaders ponder the future of space operations, the time has come to frame propositions regarding space power. Specifically, the author seeks to answer the question, "What is the nature of space power?" Two points come immediately to the forefront of this work. First, space power is different from airpower even though both share the vertical dimension of warfare. Second, space operations have matured to a point wherein valid and unique propositions regarding space power are identifiable. The objective of this work is to stimulate discussions and encourage those who do not yet understand or appreciate the nature of space power in modern warfare. [M. V. Smith / 2002 / 156 pages / ISBN: 1-58566-113-9 / AU Press Code: P-28]

I believe readers will find David Moore’s work thoughtful and thought provoking. I found this a stimulating paper about conducting aerial warfare, defined as the use of “the destructive instrument of airpower applied against an enemy in time of war.” David challenges Airmen to acquire mental agility commensurate with the unprecedented flexibility of their instruments. I believe the author has filled a critical gap in aerial warfare literature. [DAVID A. MOORE, Colonel, USAF / 2005 / 89 pages / ISBN: 1-58566-134-1 / AU Press Code: P-38]

I have been following the establishment of the permanent International Criminal Court (ICC) as called for in the Treaty of Rome since I first began teaching an elective, Morality and War: Implications for the War Fighter, here at the Air Command and Staff College (ACSC) in January 2000. I have found the process to be quite interesting. Almost from the beginning, my thoughts harkened back to what I believe Winston Churchill was warning us about the future. As I remember it, his words were something like, “Be ever mindful of the ghost of Nuremberg coming back to haunt us.” . [DONALD A. MACCUISH, EdD / 2005 / 106 pages / ISBN: 158566-137-6 / AU Press Code: P-17]

The Role of Rhetorical Theory in Military Intelligence Analysis: A Soldier’s Guide to Rhetorical Theory by Maj Gary H. Mills is another in an Air University Press series of substantive essays considered too short for publication as monographs but too lengthy to be journal articles. The purpose of The Role of Rhetorical Theory in Military Intelligence Analysis is to share Major Mills’s rhetorical understanding with young officers attending initial intelligence training. Throughout he infuses key elements from the rhetorical discourse community into the discourse community that deals with training in military intelligence. Major Mills notes that his target audience is the military intelligence community. However, Air University Press is pleased to include this study as one of its Fairchild Papers because many aspects of The Role of Rhetorical Theory in Military Intelligence Analysis can enhance the rhetorical analysis of traditional university students and instructors. [GARY H. MILLS, Major, USAF / 2003 / 73 pages / ISBN: 1-58566-121-X / AU Press Code: P-31]

This paper focuses on the unique and vital capabilities of the US Air Force's KC-135 tanker fleet. It analyzes historic and current tanker usage, tanker operational employment, and the capability of today's tanker fleet, with emphasis on force structure and force management. In light of decreasing budgets, aging airframes, increase downtime for maintenance, and an explosion in the operations tempo, this paper proposes a four-pronged methodology addressing tanker vision, organization, training and employment, as the correction needed to get the KC-135 weapon system back on centerline. This will allow the tanker to effectively aid the Air Force in successfully deterring conflict and, if needed, quickly win the nation's future wars. [David M. Cohen / 2001 / 67 pages / ISBN: 1-58566-088-4 / AU Press Code: P-16]

Dr. Head examines B-52 operations in Vietnam and how the air war affected airpower doctrine and theory. He examines the evolution of this awesome manned strategic weapon in Vietnam to see how the structure of the B-52's originally intended mission altered--if at all--the theories of airpower first put forward by Giulio Douhet and William "Billy" Mitchell. Dr. Head analyzes how this same operational alteration affected official USAF doctrine first formulated by Army Air Corps and Army Air Forces leaders before and during World War II, later modified in the 1950s after the US Air Force became a separate service. Dr. Head contends that the lack of a definitive test for the theory that airpower decisively affects the outcome of war continued during the Vietnam or Second Indochina War. [William P. Head / 2002 / 146 pages / ISBN: 1-58566-107-4 / AU Press Code: P-23]

The influence of space power pervades almost every sphere and level of human existence, from politics to military affairs to commercial activities to cultural mind-sets. Yet there is little to be found today in the way of coherent space power doctrine and strategy, particularly in national security circles. To what extent do our national interests rely on space? How shall we defend our interests in space and how shall we deny our adversaries the benefits of space power in time of conflict? How can we control and exploit the space environment? How can we effectively wield space power against the full spectrum of threats—from the lone terrorist to global peer competitors? What should be our long-range strategy and objectives if our goal is to achieve and maintain long-term space superiority? The purpose of this paper is two fold: first, to illuminate the historical and ever-increasing importance of space in modern society; and second, to prescribe, in view of this importance, the foundations of a strategy for achieving lasting space superiority and ensuring national and world security. [Simon P. Worden and John E. Shaw / 2002 / 166 pages / ISBN: 1-58566-111-2 / AU Press Code: P-26]

Lt Col Laura A. H. DiSilverio contends that the Air Force and the national defense mission are the big losers when talented individuals choose to separate early. Although specific separation figures are not available, her analysis of the percentage of men and women by commissioned years of service indicates that women separate prior to retirement more frequently than men. In this paper, Lieutenant Colonel DiSilverio presents survey results and analyzes why women separate from the Air Force. She also demonstrates why the Air Force needs women and makes a compelling case for retention based on demographics. Lieutenant Colonel DiSilverio presents research results showing the value of diversity in general and the value of women leaders in particular, and she looks at the feasibility of implementing some programs that might help the Air Force retain more of its talented members. [Laura A. H. DiSilverio / 2003 / 91 pages / ISBN: 1-58566-120-1 / AU Press Code: P-32]