Bottom-Up Review: Analysis of DOD War Game to Test Key Assumptions.
Abstract
This report reviews the objectives, methodology, and results of the Department of Defense's (DOD) war game Nimble Dancer, which assessed the ability of U.S. forces to fight and win two nearly simultaneous major regional conflicts (MRc). It identified assumptions or data used in Nimble Dancer pertaining to several specific areas, such as readiness, threat, and force availability. This report, an unclassified version of our May 1996 classified report, presents our observations on the objectives, methodology, and results of the exercise, and appendix I provides details on the specific areas of interest. In its October 1993 Bottom-Up Review of the nation's defense needs, DoD, among other things, judged that it is prudent to maintain the capability to fight and win two nearly simultaneous MRCs. In the review, DoD also determined the forces, enhancements to force capabilities, and funding necessary to execute this element of the national military strategy. Since the Bottom-Up Review, DoD has conducted various studies to examine the two MRC requirement. In an August 1994 memorandum, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff authorized DoD to conduct the Nimble Dancer exercise. The primary objective of the exercise was to assess the capability of the programmed Bottom-Up Review force to fight and win two nearly simultaneous MRCs during different time periods, and the secondary objective was to identify critical issues for further resolution or study. The Chairman's memorandum generally stated that the exercise would test the sufficiency of forces by examining various areas, such as lift, intelligence, and sustainment, and provide a forum for conducting sensitivity analyses.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1996
- Accession Number
- ADA314503
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office