21st Century U.S. Military Documents: Irregular Warfare - Air Force Policy Directive 10-42 - Counterterrorism, Unconventional Warfare, Foreign Internal Defense, Counterinsurgency

This Air Force document provides the directive requirements for the Air Force to address irregular challenges to national security. The Air Force must organize, train, and equip a force that is equally proficient and capable in irregular and conventional warfare, providing a portfolio of capabilities that reflect the high-low mix of adversaries and types of conflict that characterize today's national security environment.

IW can include a variety of steady-state and surge DoD activities and operations: counterterrorism; unconventional warfare; foreign internal defense; counterinsurgency; and stability operations that, in the context of IW, involve establishing or re-establishing order in a fragile state.

While these activities may occur across the full range of military operations, the balance or primary focus of operations gives a campaign its predominant character.

Explicitly integrate concepts and capabilities relevant to IW across all DoD activities including doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, and facilities (DOTMLPF); policy; analysis; exercises; experiments; and applicable strategies and plans.

Maintain capabilities and capacity so that the Department of Defense is as effective in IW as it is in traditional warfare in order to ensure that, when directed, the Department can:
(1) Identify and prevent or defeat irregular threats from state and non-state actors across operational areas and environments.