Liberty and Lethality

Responding to comments made by the Secretary of Defense in April 2008, the United States Air Force began procuring thirty-seven C-12 class aircraft to augment existing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems already operating in the United States Central Command's area of responsibility. However, this effort did not mark the beginning of studies directed at employing off-the-self, mission specialized aircraft for conducting counterinsurgency (COIN) operations. In addition to the MC-12W Liberty aircraft, the USAF was also studying a project designed to provide low cost air support to forces engaged in counterinsurgency operations. The Air Force called this project the Observation/Attack-X or Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance aircraft. Due to similar performance, electro-optical, infrared, imagery collection, and communication reach-back capabilities, these aircraft are both technically capable of performing Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance and Forward Air Controller-Airborne missions, but there are no current plans for the aircraft to share these mission areas. This study utilizes government requests for information, contracting data, capabilities and need statements, service memoranda, contractor produced publications, flight manuals, training programs, and doctrinal publications to answer the question; can the MC-12W Liberty and Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance aircraft perform common roles and missions while integrating operations, in order to maximize their support to COIN operations? This study begins by detailing the operational requirements and historical events that led to the acquisition of the MC-12W Liberty aircraft. It also introduces the requirements for a Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance aircraft. The study then examines major aircraft systems and subsystems in order to determine the each aircraft's combat capabilities. In order to highlight appropriate roles and missions for the two aircraft, the study juxtaposes the curre