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...lines by the Allied ground forces, the British 40th Wing (Army), which included No. Squadron Australian Flying Corps, devastated the retreating Turkish forces in scenes that prefigured the destruction of the Iraqi army fleeing Kuwait on the "Highway of Death" during the 1991 Gulf War. (1) The impact that air power can have on enemy surface forces has increased over time with developments in the capability of the platform itself and in the capacity and precision of its weapons. However, unless this airborne firepower is closely controlled it can be a two-edged sword, when employed in close proximity to friendly ground forces. From World War I to the recent invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq aircraft have been involved in "friendly fire" or "blue-on-blue" incidents that have caused the death of cooperating forces on the ground. (2) The struggle to develop a way of avoiding these unfortunate incidents began shortly after the end of World War I.
In the period between the two world wars, many air forces struggled with the problem of controlling the close air support of ground forces. Most developed methods of communicating the needs and locations of friendly ground troops to the aircraft providing the support. Initially these methods included the use of smoke, candles, flares, and large panels arranged on the ground to indicate friendly and enemy locations. (3) These techniques proved cumbersome and in close terrain, such as in jungle environments, their use proved to be less than ideal. During this same period radio equipment continued to reduce in size while its reliability increased and it became the most efficient way for ground forces to communicate with the supporting aircraft.
In response to the German initial successes at the beginning of World War II both the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the American Army Air Corps (AAC) closely studied the problem of providing air support to ground units. Radio communications were hmdamental to the methods developed by both countries. The RAF's Army Cooperation Command and the AAC's Air Support Commands did much to develop the theory and practice of radio controlled air support, but the most effective organization and procedures were eventually developed in the Western Desert. (4)
In September 1941, the British Army and the Royal Air Force (RAF) in the Western Desert put into effect a direct air support system that relied heavily on radio communications. This system employed light reconnaissance aircraft to find enemy ground targets. When located, the information was passed to mobile radio-equipped control parties called Forward Air Support Links (FASL) that were located with army brigades and divisions. The FASL maintained communications with both the reconnaissance and strike aircraft to ensure the strikers had the latest information before they carried out their attack. However, control of air support missions remained the...
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