Light Cavalry: Strategic Force for the Future

Abstract

On August 8, 1990, the first troops from the 82d Airborne Division arrived in Saudi Arabia. It was several weeks later before the first tanks arrived from the 24th Infantry Division. This 'window of vulnerability' was a result of a strategic deployment shortfall: the only Army forces which can be deployed on short notice are from the light divisions. With the end of the Cold War and reductions of forces overseas, the evolving military strategy will depend more and more on power projection from the continental United States. Given the uncertainties in the world today and the proliferation of both conventional and unconventional arms, the United States must be capable of quickly deploying by air, military forces which have mobility, firepower, and are self-sustaining. What is needed is a 'medium force package', as suggested by General Meyer in 1980. It would consist of a regimental-sized cavalry force fielded with the Armored Gun System (AGS), the Future Scout Vehicle (FSV), the M198 howitzer, and the Light Helicopter (Comanche). Such a force could be deployed in fewer sorties than a light division, but with a much greater capability.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 03, 1992
Accession Number
ADA247881

Entities

People

  • Craig B. Whelden

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Space
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Civil War
  • Classification
  • Cold War
  • Deployment
  • Force Structure
  • Howitzers
  • Military Strategy
  • National Governments
  • National Politics
  • National Security
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Security
  • United States
  • Universities
  • Ussr
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Aerospace logistics and air mobility.
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Military Science