Dominant Fires: Division XXI's Lethal Edge
Abstract
In preparation for the challenges of the 21st century, the United States Army has invested heavily in the development of Force XXI. Capitalizing on the power of information technologies, this developing force is being designed to achieve rapid and decisive results in combat largely through the ability to conduct simultaneous attacks throughout the depth of the battlespace. This capability is dependent primarily on the increasing potential of fires to dominate the battlefield. The purpose of this study is to determine if Division XXI, the primary tactical unit of Force XXI, can achieve fires dominance on the future mid to high intensity battlefield. To answer this question, this monograph first considers the doctrinal and conceptual roles of fires, deep operations, the fires system, and the characteristics of fires. This monograph uses an historical review of fires in three major 20th century conflicts to validate and clarify three characteristics of dominant fires: fires responsiveness, lethality, and survivability. These three factors serve as the criteria for analysis of the potential of Division XXI fires. A comparison of the major components of the Division XXI fires system compared to the Army of Excellence (AOE) division's fires system is made to determine the relative improvements in the fires system. With an understanding of the potential of the fires system, this paper considers the nature of future conventional threats and then analyzes the applied capabilities Division XXI fires responsiveness, lethality, and survivability on the future battlefield. This monograph concludes by considering the impact and implications of dominant fires in the future.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 18, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA339964
Entities
People
- Gregory B. Schultz
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College