Richard Newton
Dr. Richard Newton, Lt. Col. (Ret.)
- Adjunct Faculty at University of Alaska Fairbanks
- Adjunct Faculty and researcher at Joint Special Operations University
- Adjunct Faculty at Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies
- Managing Editor Air Commando Journal
Dr. Richard Newton comes to UAF and CASR after having spent more than two decades working with international partners, primarily in Europe, as part of his teaching, research, and publishing responsibilities at Joint Special Operations University, MacDill AFB, Florida. He is still an adjunct faculty member at JSOU and is also an adjunct faculty member at the new Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies in Anchorage, Alaska.
To complement his academic background, Dr. Newton served 22 years in the US Air Force as a combat rescue and special operations helicopter pilot, combat aviation advisor, and strategic planner. His Arctic experience includes multiple NATO exercises in northern Norway, two years at Keflavik, Iceland, and serving as the Arctic planner for Special Operations Command North.
Education
- PhD, 2016, Defence Studies (international security studies), King’s College London
- MMAS, 1991, US Army School of Advanced Military Studies
- BS, 1977, Military History, USAF Academy
Publications (Books and Chapters)
Newton, Richard D. (forthcoming) Air Power in East Africa, 1914 – 1918: Aviation’s Roots in Irregular Warfare
Newton, Richard D. (forthcoming) “Proxy Wars in the 21st Century: Everything Old is New Again,” chapter in Game of Proxies: Contemporary Proxy Warfare, Routledge Press
Newton, Richard D. 2021.Valor Untold: Air Commandos during the Jonestown Massacre Recovery, 1978, Air Commando Association Press.
Newton, Richard D. 2019. Defense Institution Building … by Design, JSOU Press.
Newton, Richard D. 2019. The RAF and Tribal Control: Air Power and Irregular Warfare Between the World Wars, University Press of Kansas.
Newton, Richard D. 2009. “Seeds of Surrogate Warfare,” chapter in Irregular Warfare and Indirect Approaches, JSOU Press.
Newton, Richard D. 2006. Special Operations Aviation in NATO: A Vector to the Future, JSOU Press.
Newton, Richard D. 1991. Reinventing the Wheel: Structuring Air Forces for Foreign Internal Defense, Air University Press.
Publications (Journal Articles: Peer-Reviewed)
Newton, Richard D., Jennifer Walters. 2022. “Any Time, Any Place? Why Cutting the Air Force’s Irregular Warfare Capabilities is a Mistake,” Modern Warfare Institute, https://mwi.usma.edu/any-time-any-place-why-cutting-the-air-forces-irregular-warfare-capabilities-is-a-mistake/
Newton, Richard D. 2022. “Special Air Warfare During the Korean War: The 581st Air Resupply and Communications Wing,” Air Commando Journal, vol. 11, no. 1. https://aircommando.org/air-commando-journal/.
Newton, Richard D. 2021. “Butterflies, Dragonflies, and Fireflies: The Second Defense of LS-36, Air Commando Journal, vol. 10, no. 2. https://aircommando.org/air-commando-journal/.
Newton, Richard D. 2021. “Combat Controllers During the Evacuation of Saigon,” Air Commando Journal, vol. 9, no. 2. https://aircommando.org/air-commando-journal/.
Newton, Richard D. 2020. “Heroism at Na Khang: The First Defense of LS-36,” Air Commando Journal, vol. 9, no. 2. https://aircommando.org/air-commando-journal/.
Newton, Richard D., Brett Cassidy, William Mendel. 2020. “Ambush over South Sudan,” Air Commando Journal, vol. 9, no. 1. https://aircommando.org/air-commando-journal/.
Schmidt, Lance, Richard D. Newton (uncredited). 2019. “ISR in Africa: One JSOAC’s Challenge,” Air Commando Journal, vol. 8, no. 1. https://aircommando.org/air-commando-journal/.
Black, Charles N. Richard D. Newton, Mary Ann Nobles, David C. Ellis. 2018. “SOCOM’s Future…by Design,” Joint Force Quarterly, no. 90. https://ndupress.ndu.edu/JFQ/.
Newton, Richard D. 2018. “SS Mayaguez and the Chaos at Koh Tang,” Air Commando Journal, vol. 7, no. 1. https://aircommando.org/air-commando-journal/.
Newton, Richard D. (uncredited). 2018. “Nail FACs Sort Things Out at Koh Tang,” Air Commando Journal, vol. 7, no. 1. https://aircommando.org/air-commando-journal/.
Newton, Richard D. 2018. “Operation Frequent Wind: The Evacuation of Saigon, April 1975,” Air Commando Journal, https://aircommando.org/air-commando-journal/.
Newton, Richard D. 2018. “The RAF’s ‘Special Force’…before the Special Duties Squadrons”, RAF Air Power Review, vol. 21, no. 1. https://www.raf.mod.uk/what-we-do/centre-for-air-and-space-power-studies/publications/.
Newton, Richard D. 2017. “Air Commandos in Cuba”, Air Commando Journal, vol. 5, no. 3. https://aircommando.org/air-commando-journal/.
Black, Charles N, David C. Ellis, Richard D. Newton. 2016. “Design-thinking for the SOF Enterprise," USSOCOM White Paper.
Newton, Richard D., Thomas Searle. 2016. “SOF, Airpower, and Special Operations Airmen: Limited by Our Own Imagination”, Special Operations Journal, vol. 2, issue 1. DOI: 10.1080/23296151.2016.1165579.
Newton, Richard D. 2012. “Operation Kingpin: The Son Tay Raid”, Air Commando Journal, vol. 1, no. 3. https://aircommando.org/air-commando-journal/.
Newton, Richard D. 2011. “Strategic Paralysis in Irregular Warfare”, RAF Air Power Review, vol. 14, no. 1. https://www.raf.mod.uk/what-we-do/centre-for-air-and-space-power-studies/publications/.
Newton, Richard D. 2010. “Air Power, Coercion, and … Irregular Warfare?”, RAF Air Power Review, vol. 13, no. 2. https://www.raf.mod.uk/what-we-do/centre-for-air-and-space-power-studies/publications/.
Newton, Richard D. 2008. “ISAF Needs a SOLE”, Joint Airpower Competence Centre Journal, ed. 8. https://www.japcc.org/journals/
Newton, Richard D. 2007. “Special Operations Aviation in NATO,” World Defence Systems, vol. 9, issue 2.
Newton, Richard D. 2007. “C2 of NATO Special Operations Aviation in Complex Environments”, Joint Airpower Competence Centre Journal, ed 6. https://www.japcc.org/journals/
Hurley, Marcus, Richard D. Newton (uncredited). 1995. “JFACC: Taking the Next Step,” Joint force Quarterly, no. 7. https://ndupress.ndu.edu/JFQ/.
Newton, Richard D. 1994. “Center of Gravity in Bosnia,” Military Review, vol. 74, no. 4. https://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p124201coll1/id/452/rec/1.
Eggers, Thomas E., Richard D. Newton (uncredited). 1991. “Today’s Air Commandos: Air Force Special Operations Command,” vol. 71, no. 6.
Newton, Richard D. 1989. “A US Air Force Role in counterinsurgency Support,” Airpower Journal, vol. 3, no. 3.
Newton, Richard D. 1988. “A Question of Doctrine,” Airpower Journal, vol. 2, No. 3.