Army Attack Aviation and Joint Air Operations: Doctrinal and Institutional Barriers

: Less than ten years after opening the Gulf War Air campaign, Army Attack Aviation was propelled into the spotlight over a perceived failure to support the North Atlantic Treaty Organization air operations in the Serbian province of Kosovo. Since political constraints precluded a ground option to resolve the conflict, the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe requested a wide range of aerospace assets to accomplish campaign objectives. When adverse weather impacted fixed-wing operations, Army Attack Aviation under the command structure of Task Force Hawk was deployed to Albania to answer the shortfall. Operation ALLIED FORCE ceased air operations without ever committing Task Force Hawk on 24 June 1999, when Serbian President Milosevic agreed to withdraw all Serbian military and police forces from Kosovo.