The Soviet Turn Toward Conventional Force Reduction. The Internal Struggle and the Variables at Play - Executive Summary

Abstract

This report presents key observations drawn from R-3876-AF, a RAND study that examines the relationship between the Soviet force posture toward Western Europe and the political struggle that is being waged in the Soviet Union for control over the priorities of military deployment policy and military-industrial decisionmaking. The report gives a detailed overview of the intertwined issues that have been the key battlegrounds in this contest: how to define the Soviet military budget, how far and how fast to cut it, how far to reduce Soviet conventional forward deployments in Europe, how much asymmetry to accept in such reductions, how to reorganize forces for defensive purposes, and whether to move away from the traditional Soviet mass, conscripted army in the direction of a professional army. The study then considers prospects for the future.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1989
Accession Number
ADA236900

Entities

People

  • Harry Gelman

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Defense
  • Air Force
  • Artillery
  • Artillery Fire
  • Deployment
  • Eastern Europe
  • Europe
  • Infantry Fighting Vehicles
  • Military Budgets
  • Military Force Levels
  • National Security
  • Procurement
  • Security
  • Self Propelled Guns
  • Ussr
  • Warfare
  • Western Europe

Fields of Study

  • Political science

Readers

  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Systems Analysis and Design