Experiences Using Group Support Systems to Improve Strategic Planning in the Air Force

Strategic planning is an essential part of establishing the Air Force’s direction. Using a group support system for strategic planning is one avenue to make effective use of technology and improve the strategic planning process. This research implements a group support system (GSS) as a facilitation tool to improve the strategic planning process at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho with the support of the 366th Wing. The project focused on learning multiple lessons when a group support system (GSS) augmented the current strategic planning process. Implementation of a GSS on the strategic planning process was expected to: (1) improve the quality of the strategic plan, (2) reduce time to completion, (3) increase satisfaction with the process, and (4) increase commitment to the strategic plans developed. Overall, computer-supported strategic planning improved the quality of the strategic F-16 Fighting Falcon 1060-3425/98 $10.0 plans, reduced time to completion, and increased the satisfaction with the process. There was not a statistically significant increase in the level of commitment to implementation. Mountain Home Air Force Base In April 1991, the Department of Defense announced that Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, would be the future site of a new Composite wing. Modern air warfare, as prosecuted so successfully in the Gulf War, requires aircraft of different types to fly together as a team. Air superiority aircraft such as the F-15C Eagle must sweep the sky of enemy fighters ahead of packages of strike aircraft, such as the F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-15E Strike Eagles, and bombers such as the B-1B Lancer. All aircraft must also be refueled in flight, which requires the integration of tanker aircraft such as the KC135R into the attack.