Where Is the Beef In the Objective Force?
Abstract
The United States Army Transformation Campaign Plan is designed as a means of ensuring an innovative and flexible transformation from the current force structure to the transformational goal of the Objective Force. The Objective Force is described as a force that is capable of rapid response to dominate any point on the spectrum of operations, and capable of rapid transitions between differing mission requirements. The Transformation Campaign Plan describes the Objective Force as being capable of attaining the characteristics of responsiveness, deployability, survivability, lethality, agility, versatility, and sustainability. To attain these capabilities the Objective Force will be required to forgo heavy armor organizations by transforming to a light armor force with a weight limitation of approximately twenty tons. The purpose of this monograph is to determine if transformation to a light armor force is in the best interest of the Army. Since the Objective Force attains the ability to meet the ninety six hour deployment capability by drastic reductions in weapon system size and weight, it is necessary to analyze the ability of the Objective Force to attain full spectrum dominance with a light armored vehicle. This analysis is accomplished through review of: 1) the threat environment, 2) contemporary experiences with the emerging threat, and 3) Objective Force concepts. Each of these areas is evaluated with deployability, survivability, and lethality as the evaluation criteria. The monograph determines that the Objective Force will not be able to attain full spectrum dominance with a light armor organization, and that the Transformation Campaign Plan is an attempt to improve strategic responsiveness at the cost of some of the inherent qualities that makes the Legacy Force such a decisive and capable organization.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 22, 2003
- Accession Number
- ADA416049
Entities
People
- Robert A. Reynolds
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College