Protecting ACE: Air Defense and Agile Combat Employment

Authors

Ian D. Richardson, 505th Command and Control Wing, Detachment 1

Abstract

The U.S. Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept was created to counter anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) threats through dispersed, short-duration operations. While ACE enhances survivability and complicates adversary targeting, it lacks sufficient ground-based air defense against long-range missile and drone threats. This article identifies a critical gap in ACE's protection strategy and proposes integrating Army maneuver short-range air defense (M-SHORAD) units, particularly from multidomain task forces (MDTFs), to provide mobile, layered air defense for ACE sites. This approach aligns with ACE’s need for flexibility and rapid mobility. Three potential solutions are explored: expanding Air Force air defense capabilities, improving joint training and doctrine, and leveraging Army M-SHORAD. The article recommends the latter, emphasizing that joint integration would strengthen ACE, improve survivability, and maintain operational momentum against peer threats. Successful implementation would require doctrinal updates, joint training, and alignment of deployment cycles.

Recommended Citation

Ian D. Richardson, "Protecting ACE: Air Defense and Agile Combat Employment," Joint Force Quarterly 117 (2nd Quarter 2025), 51-57, https://digitalcommons.ndu.edu/joint-force-quarterly/vol117/iss2/8.