Whither the Heavy Forces in the Post-Containment World
Abstract
This paper argues that heavy forces, as currently understood in modern armies, are irrelevant for the United States in the emerging world order. The United States will, in the future, be confronted with a plethora of potential regional adversaries and contingency requirements, while largely being based at home. This will put a great premium on rapid deployability over long distances. However, these potential adversaries of the third world possess quite formidable modern armies which, combined with the 'home field' advantage, dictate that a U.S. expeditionary force have both firepower and survivability characteristics similar to that demanded by the European theater. With its present force structure, the U.S. has but two options: It may massively finance air and rapid sealift or it may abandon altogether those military objectives which demand a rapidly deployable force capable of confronting one of the heavy armies now existing throughout the world.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 20, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA223285
Entities
People
- Richard W. Munt
Organizations
- United States Army War College