WEBVTT

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In today's threat environment , the

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question isn't if our air bases will be

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targeted , it's how soon , how often ,

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and with what . Emerging airborne

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threats arrayed against air bases ,

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including unmanned aircraft systems ,

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ballistic missiles , and loitering

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munitions require new defensive

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measures both at home and abroad . The

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Air Force must organize , train , and .

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Equipped to counter and defeat these

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threats by employing effective ,

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adaptable , and integrated point

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defense capabilities . For many years ,

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the Air Force has relied upon joint

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force capabilities to defend air bases

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against airborne threats . That idea

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traces back to a 1984 memorandum that

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gave the US Army primary responsibility

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for air defense , but that agreement

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expired decades ago . Today's threat

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environment will stress joint air

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defense capabilities , especially when

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combining agile basing concepts ,

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emphasizing dispersal with rapid

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mobility to preserve combat power . To

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fight and win , the Air Force must

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assume greater responsibility for

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defending its own combat power ,

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facilities , and personnel against air

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missile threats . So what is point

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defense ? According to doctrine , point

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defense is an air defense design term

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that describes the protection of

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limited areas like vital elements of a

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base using short range , often organic

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weapon systems . This includes air

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defense capabilities designed to

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counter unmanned aircraft systems ,

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loitering munitions , and other

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emerging threats . In operational

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theaters , air base commanders may be

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delegated authority from the Joint

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Force commander or the area air defense

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commander to conduct point defense

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independently or as part of a broader

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integrated air and missile defense

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system . The area air defense commander

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can delegate air defense authorities

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such as the authority to identify

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airborne threats , the authority to

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commit air defense assets to particular

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threats , and the authority to engage

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those threats down to a regional or

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sector air defense commander . At the

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base level , a unit of action that

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possesses both the capacity and

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capability to command and control air

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defense operations can also be

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delegated to these air defense

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authorities . In such cases , the base

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defense operations center becomes the

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focal point for executing the base

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commander's scheme of defense ,

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including the . of point defense

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capabilities . Today's agile basing

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concepts means smaller footprints and

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more remote operating locations . Since

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Air Force commanders can't always rely

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on joint air defense assets , they must

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train to conduct point defense to

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protect aircraft and infrastructure

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that enables air power . Commanders

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responsible for point defense must

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understand and integrate force

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protection , air and missile defense ,

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and airspace control functions . This

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includes understanding airspace control

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measures like base defense zones , the

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interplay between base boundaries and

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the base security zones , and air and

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missile defense authorities and fire

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control measures . These war fighting

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disciplines work together to enable

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effective point defense . In the

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homeland , point defense becomes even

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more complex . Civilian agencies like

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the Federal Aviation Administration

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control airspace and defensive actions

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must align with federal law and the

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standing rules for the use of force .

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Coordination is key , especially when

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protecting against unmanned aircraft

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systems or potential incursions into

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defended airspace . Looking ahead ,

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point defense must evolve alongside

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emerging threats . Future Air Force

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systems should be adaptable , flexible ,

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responsive , and capable of vertical

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integration into a layered air missile

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defense construct . Point Defense is

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about more than just defending air

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bases . It's about preserving the

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mission . It protects our ability to

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project air power , maintain the

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advantage , and hold the initiative .

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This has been a Lemay Center doctrine

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development production . Check out our

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website at www.doctrine.af.nil to

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review current Air Force and joint

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Doctrine publications , including the

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Point Defense doctrine advisory .