• Aging: New Weapons Too Expensive to Modernize Forces on a Timely Basis.

  • Plan: Envisions 2nd Generation War of Attrition in Distant Future
     

    • JV-2010/RMA: More Complexity, Based on Old Mechanistic Ideas

      • Target-Based Automated SEE-DECIDE-STRIKE Cycle is New Version of Igloo White (1960s), Quick Strike Surveillance-Recce (1970s), Assault Breaker (late 1970s)

      • Increased Emphasis on Precision Wpns. Which Require Sharp Distinctions & Precise Knowledge

     

  • New Weapons & Force Structure: Tech. & Ideas Are Legacies of Cold War Thinking
     

    • Army: Smaller Version of Heavy Force Designed to Fight on North German Plain

      • Comanche, Crusader, Digitization, and New Generation of “Fire & Forget PGMs.

      • Increased Emphasis on Active Force Rather than Shift to Reserves

    • Air Force: Smaller Version of Force Configured for Bombing of “Strategic” Infrastructure & Interdicting Tank-Heavy Ground Forces

      • Continued Emphasis on Cold War Technologies (Stealthy F-22 & JSF, Adv. PGMs, Force Multipliers)

      • Less CAS & Dir. Supt of Army, But Increased Use of Space

      • Marginal Increases in Reserves

    • Navy: Smaller Version of Force Configured for Global War at Sea & Strategic Bombardment

      • Surface Combatants Configured for Air Defense (Aegis) and Cruise Missile Attack (TLAM)

      • Air (F/A-18E/F & JSF) Configured for Deep Bombing

      • No Surface Fire Support / Sea-Based CAS to Support Marines in 3rd Generation Littoral Operations

      • Attack Submarines Configured for Open Ocean Warfare (NSSN) & Cruise Missile Attack (TLAM)

    • Marine Corps: Only Service to Adopt 3rd Generation Warfare as Doctrine (1980s)

      • Struggling to Evolve Doctrinal Response to End of Cold War - OMFTS & Urban Warfare

      • But Modernizing with High-Cost Weapons that are Legacies of Cold War (JSF / V-22 / AAAV)

Previous

Table of Contents

 Next