TEL AVIV – The Israel Air Force has drafted combat doctrines that
would replace ground troops in the Gaza Strip with air reconnaissance and
firepower.
Military sources said the conception was being drafted and developed amid
plans for an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip. The sources said the
General Staff envisioned a sharp reduction or even a ban on ground force
operations in the Gaza Strip after the withdrawal, planned for July 2005.
"We are looking to maintain an aerial presence without ground troops," a
senior air force officer said in a briefing at LIC-2005. "If we are over the
area without ground troops, terrorists don't act. They are scared they'll be
hit."
Under the conception, the air force would operate combat helicopters and
unmanned air vehicles that could monitor the entire Gaza Strip. The sources
said the aircraft would have the ability to scan large areas and zoom in on
target areas within seconds.
"On some levels, we have reached this capability," the officer said.
The sources said the air force has determined a requirement to
significantly improve communications and situational awareness within the
service as well as with the ground forces. They said the air force already
shares operational headquarters with the ground forces and all assets of the
air force are directed from the same facility.
But the sensor-to-shooter circle has been hampered by the air force's
regulations. The air force does not allow anybody from outside the service
to order fire from aircraft.
Under the regulations, only a senior air force officer, at the level of
major general or brigadier general, can order aircraft fire when ground
troops are not under threat. Lower-level officers can order such fire when
troops are deemed to be in danger.
"The question is how to transfer intelligence, data, not through the
chain of command, but through a linked data base," a military source
said. "Once you have a soldier with the ability to order an attack approved
by the air force at headquarters, then you reduce the sensor-to shooter
cycle. The system operates quite well, but not well enough."
