Quote Originally Posted by 120mm View Post
Perhaps the answer is to "de-purple" the process and cut CAS back to the Army. I doubt there is any truly satisfactory solution.
I think there is probably something to this argument.

Already, the agreement which determined the role of aviation in each of the armed service (was it the Key West Agreement?), is coming apart under the strain of combat UAVs. The Good Ole USAF is loath to accept tactical UAVs for units at brigade level and below.

Perhaps a new aviation agreement might be in order, whereby functions of aviation would be delegated to services rather than delegate by type of asset (Naval Aviation to the Navy/Marines, Land-based Rotary wing to the army, and land-based fixed wing to the airforce.)

Perhaps ISR, assault support, and CAS could go to the army. Marines would retain their "6 functions" (ISR, assault support, offensive air support, C2, air defense, tactical EW). I'd be fine with my beloved Corps abandoning the air defense role (our meagre LAAD Bns), and possibly even the EW piece if someone else picked up the slack, reducing the 6 functions to 4.

I think this might help the services to stay in their respective lanes. The answer might be to de-purple-ize and instead to develop services with specialties and actual expertise, rather than pretending that we all do acceptably well and everything.

I understand there is some problems with this (B-1s actually can make acceptable CAS platforms when loaded with appropriate PGMs.)

It would also allow army aviators to fill in as FACs, which would probably be a good thing.

Thoughts?