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   (5)  New radar beacons and aircraft system improvements, to
include new radios both on the ground and in the air, have
significantly enhanced Marine air capabilities to provide ground
units with timely and accurate close air suppport around the
clock and in adverse weather.   Further, the newest additions to
the Marine fixed-wing close air support community--the F/A-l8
Hornet and the AV-8B Harrier Il--are being made operable in night
and under-weather conditions under the Night Attack Development
Program (NADP).

b.   Observations.

   (1)  The Air Force and the Army are grappling with major issues
revolving around a solution to the difficult problem of providing
responsive close air support for Army ground units.   The issues
include repeated instances of communications problems during
joint operations, poor career opportunities for Air Force offi-
cers serving with Army units,  insufficient numbers of Air Force
officers to fill liaison billets with Army maneuver battalions,
lack of suitable airborne forward control aircraft, and relega-
tion of the close air support mission to third place--after air
superiority and interdiction--on the Air Force's list of prior-
ities for tactical aviation.

   (2)  None of the arguments put forth concerning the value of
interdiction or strategic bombing has altered the Army ground
soldier's view that a timely air strike can often solve many of
his problems.   Coordination at all levels down to the forward air
controller and aircrew is essential, and this coordination is
easier to conduct if the soldier doesn't have to cross Service
boundaries.   Air Force liaison officers serving with tactical
Army units over the years have made things work as well as can be
expected, but they are contending with an inherently unwieldy
system.

   (3)  Army and Air Force doctrines now emphasize attack of the
enemy's follow-on forces up to 90 miles behind the front lines.
As a result, the Air Force is looking for a high-speed multi-
mission aircraft, capable of flying either close air support or
interdiction, to replace the A-lO Thunderbolt II.   Modified
General Dynamics F-l6s and ThTV Aerospace A-7Ds are under
consideration.

   (4)  Reassigning the close air support mission to the Army,
which some officers see as the best way to solve the problems of
priority and coordination,  is apparently not being considered by
senior Army and Air Force leaders.   There is no valid reason to
prevent the Army from providing its own fixed-wing close air
support.

   (5)  Given that the Air Force will continue to provide fixed-
wing close air support for the Army, senior officers from both

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