Dynamic Targeting: Are We Ready?

Historically, proponents of airpower have continually pushed their ideas and concepts to ensure airpower is employed effectively, efficiently, and most importantly, with devastating effect. However, the main problem associated with any doctrine or concept, is remaining in the dogma loop of slow change. With airpower’s global impact and rapid dominance of the battlespace, planners and aircrews must begin to develop new and better ways to employ airpower into the 21st century. One method, is the utilization of airpower to dynamically target those threatening forces in the battlespace, before they impact friendly operations. To accomplish this mission, airpower practitioners must look at dynamic targeting, or specifically prosecuting those time critical threats. This mission will be a cornerstone to the joint vision of dominant maneuver throughout the battlespace by having the ability to “halt” enemy activities before they become a factor. This paper will analyze dynamic targeting, specifically prosecuting time critical targets (TCT). The fundamental thesis is that the services and airpower planners must do more to effectively prepare for this new and dynamic mission. This will include incorporating dynamic targeting into the JFACCs initial air plan and reviewing concepts of employment on XINT, or on-call airborne interdiction. To meet this dynamic mission, aircrews will also need to receive mission type orders at the tactical level of employment, so they can better shape and define the theater battlespace in real-time. However, the true key to successful employment will lie in the training and exercises utilized to prepare our forces in dynamic targeting, or the new term of “halt phase” operations. Lastly, this article is designed more for awareness into dynamic targeting considerations and employment, but it will also make recommendations and considerations for future targeting employment.