Strategic Mobility: Can We Get There in Time?
Abstract
The dramatic changes in the world starting in the fall of 1989 will enable the United States to reduce its large military forces in Europe for the first time in 40 years. The collapse of communism and the decline of the Warsaw Pact military threat resulted from the inability of the communist system to provide for their people economically. Everyone agrees that there is no longer an imminent threat of a war in Europe between NATO and the Warsaw Pact. But before the United States dismantles its military forces, there is a need to look at the rest of the world. Ethnic struggles, nationalism, radical religious fundamentalism, terrorism, and insurgencies are occurring everywhere and especially in areas where the U.S. has vital interests and relations with friendly governments. Many Third World nations have large, modern, well-equipped armies and the predisposition to use them to achieve their political aims. More than ever the U.S. needs strategic mobility in the air and on the sea to be able to deter conflicts and exert its influence toward peace. This paper looks at the capabilities and requirements for strategic mobility and discusses ways to innovatively use the dwindling resources to achieve the greatest capability. With a dramatically smaller Army and fewer forces forward deployed around the world, the need for strategic airlift and sealift is increasing not decreasing.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 30, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA222303
Entities
People
- William J. Price
Organizations
- United States Army War College