Gray highlighted Clausewitz and Sun Tzu as such grand strategic theorists, but explained Boyd should be considered for inclusion in this level because of his OODA loop as grand strategy:īoyd found in the OODA loop the essential logic of success in battle…Boyd’s loop can apply to the operational, strategic, and political levels of war, as well as to tactics for aerial dogfights. In Modern Strategy (1999), Gray postulated that there are four levels of military strategy theories: the widest in scope, grand strategic theory, transcends a given era, its technology and social conditions. His wide-ranging and enduring impact should at least put Boyd in the conversation of grand military theorists.īritish historian and theorist Colin Gray is the most prominent proponent of Boyd’s influence as a grand strategist.
Air combat maneuvers how to#
He developed a theory on how humans learn, he examined more than two millennia of conflict to develop grand military theories on how to exploit the mental and moral aspects of war to paralyze and defeat an enemy, and he developed the OODA loop to describe the decision making process that humans and organizations use not only in warfare, but in all manner of conflict.
Revolutionizing aerial combat itself is reason enough to study Boyd, but his post-retirement work was wide in scope and influence. Boyd consolidated the Aerial Attack Study and E-M theory into a brief he called New Conception of Air-to-Air Combat, which concluded, “he who can handle the quickest rate of change survives, which presaged his future grand theories of warfare and conflict. Boyd’s theories were instrumental in the development and success of the F-15 and F-16. E-M not only transformed aerial combat theory, but also how aircraft were designed. The theory explained aerial combat in terms of available energy and its application to aircraft maneuverability.
While attending Georgia Institute of Technology, he developed a theory that would come to be known as the Energy – Maneuverability (E-M) theory. Boyd wanted to capture the scientific reason for his intuitive understanding of aircraft handling and aerial combat. Air Force, and air forces around the world. The study literally wrote the book on air-to-air combat, and it is still in use by the U.S.
Air combat maneuvers manual#
His Aerial Attack Study was an aerial combat manual that presented maneuvers and counter-maneuvers, as well as the reasons for choosing a maneuver in a given situation. military warfighting doctrine.īoyd’s ideas on war developed out of his experience as a fighter pilot. Department of Defense (DoD), his ideas were a major contributor to the U.S.’ success in Desert Storm, and his theories, in particular the observe – orient – decide – act (OODA) loop, remain influential in U.S. Boyd revolutionized air combat, his theories on maneuver warfare led a post-Vietnam intellectual renaissance within the U.S. However, these arguments are complementary Boyd’s theories should place him among the pantheon of grand military theorists with the likes of Sun Tzu and Clausewitz, but few military historians and theorist make that contention, in large part because of his limited number of published works. It may seem duplicitous to say John Boyd is among history’s grand military theorists while simultaneously arguing that his influence has been artificially limited because of his lack of published works. Part I : John Boyd - Grand Military Theorist Part II explains the need for the publication of an anthology of his works, while Part III provides a proposal for the organization and publication of his works to be included in such an anthology. Part I of this paper examines Boyd’s military theories and his enduring importance as a grand military strategist.
A compilation of Boyd’s writings and briefings published in an edited anthology would reinvigorate discussion of his relevance as a military theorist, would expand knowledge and understanding of his theories on war, and promote his influence on future generations of military historians and theorists. As a result, Boyd has not been widely recognized among grand military theorists such as Sun Tzu and Carl von Clausewitz. Boyd published little, preferring to use briefings as his primary method of influencing people and changing organization cultures, leaving few documents for academics, military theorists and practitioners to analyze. THE NEW GREEN BOOK: The Need for an Anthology of John Boyd’s WorkĪs one of the twentieth century’s most influential military theorists, John Boyd belongs among the pantheon of grand military theorists.
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