Enhancing Strategic Mobility: Applying Lessons from the Past
Abstract
The nation is faced with large budget deficits and the DoD will have to share in the spending cuts. Committing forces to execute a war plan which has no reasonable chance of success due to inadequate lift would be unconscionable. After neglect in the 70's, there was improvement in strategic airlift during the 80's. Over the next 10 years, the C-17 program is designed to provide sufficient new capability to reach the official DoD airlift goal. However, the author questions the sufficiency of the official goal. Strategic mobility programs have historically been cut by the Services before they would give up major weapons systems. Lost capability must be made up through other, innovative means. The 90's will have DoD with decreasing budgets and severe competition among the Services' programs. The total programmed buy of C-17's may be at risk for the next several years. The author projects a series of circumstances which could result in the DoD greatly expanding its airlift capability at a fraction of the cost of new procurement. His solution requires a commitment to do the unorthodox and to not fall prey to the paradigms that would prevent seizing the opportunity.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 07, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA210089
Entities
People
- Kenneth M. Jenkins
Organizations
- United States Army War College