Forward Presence: Is It an Equal Opportunity Employer?
Abstract
Since the 'Revolt of the Admirals' in 1949, an interservice rivalry has persisted between the Navy and the Air Force. The current debate, similar to the one fifty years ago, has the Air Force promoting its bombers as a more cost effective weapon in comparison to the flexible and responsive aircraft carrier. In the post-Cold War world, the military has experienced a drawdown typical of past post war periods. With each new commission tasked to study the size and structure of the four services, white papers have been published justifying the existence of hardware. The Navy and Air Force, in particular, have produced a combined total of five papers to support their positions. The Air Force believes that its once dominating strategic nuclear bombers can be reconstituted as a force capable of providing forward presence through virtual means. The Navy offers no new visionary ideas; rather, it relies on history and past success to illustrate that forward presence continues to require forces that are forward deployed and visible. Over seas presence must be forward deployed and proactively engaged with friends and allies to demonstrate commitment in protecting the nation's vital interests. Virtual presence alone will not suffice, but strategic bombers and space based assets do have a part to play as a complementary force to those deployed overseas.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 07, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA325833
Entities
People
- James H. Flatley Iv
Organizations
- Naval War College