The 1970s and Early 1980s: Enabling a Military Offset
Abstract
Looking at past "offsets" - gaining an advantage over an adversary - might provide insight to the institutional Army on how to develop and implement a Third Offset. Although an examination of history may not point to the answer for the Third Offset, it may bring to light the factors that made past offsets successful and offer a model that leaders can use as they wade through the options. Coming out of the Vietnam War, the Chief of Staff of the Army and the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) commanders recognized that the Army needed to change, used the 1970s to develop that change, and then was able to integrate its technology investments/acquisitions to complement new doctrine. Although there was a Department of Defense effort to use technology as a force multiplier to offset the Soviets, senior leaders had already realized this need by the time Secretary Harold Brown and Undersecretary Perry undertook technology investments in the late 1970s. The Army was able to complement Brown and Perry's effort due to doctrinal changes and investments already made. TRADOC worked to understand how its technology/acquisition investments complemented its operational concepts and doctrine and to ensure that these investments would prove successful in meeting the threat. There was a role to play both for concepts (devised to meet the strategic environment) and technology/acquisition innovation in the Second Offset.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 05, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1040336
Entities
People
- Brian Debiase
Organizations
- Defense Acquisition University