Continuing Requirement for V/Stol in the Close Air Support Role

The U.S. Marine Corps has been interested in V/STOL aircraft for over thirty years. The AV-8A, the world's first operational high performance JET-V/STOL aircraft, has been utilized by the Marine air-ground task force for six years. This study examines the current posture of V/STOL aviation and whether the Marine Corps' experience with V/STOL warrants a follow on to the AV-8A. This study reviews the history of JET-V/STOL and the many concepts that have evolved over the years. The requirements for close air support are thoroughly discussed and the impact that V/STOL has had on those requirements is presented. The paper concludes with a discussion of Western world military employment concepts as well as those of the Soviet Union. V/STOL, with its many applications, is presented as a viable concept for tactical aviation. This innovative concept has provided the ground commander, particularly in the area of close air support, a responsiveness through basing flexibility that heretofore did not exist. Despite the obvious advantages of V/STOL, research revealed that there is not complete agreement on the future of the concept. The author concludes that the military advantages offered by the V/STOL concept far outweigh any political or economic considerations that could delay or eliminate the program.