Quick Strategic Force Closure Estimates for Roughly Defined Force Requirements
Abstract
Emerging defense strategy postulates early, fast, and relatively large-scale deployment of U.S. forces to multiple locations with overlapping timelines. Recently, the U.S. Transportation Command developed a Strategic Mobility Quick-Look tool as a surrogate for more detailed and time-consuming mobility simulation models which were deemed inappropriate for a senior leadership war gaming exercise. To estimate force closure over time and highlight potential mobility issues, the tool requires a description of deploying combat forces and available strategic mobility lift assets (air and sea). Using rough force closure estimates, the tool enabled senior leaders to quickly evaluate both the feasibility and risk associated with various force employment strategies, allowing the impact of mobility to be addressed throughout the exercise. Because the tool is general and flexible in it's ability to represent new scenarios, analysts have used it on many occasions to identify the "big issues" before running more detailed simulation models. The purpose of this presentation is to share a "Quick-Look" approach to examining air/sea force closure using best available data and planning factors.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA438883
Entities
People
- Jean M. Mahan
- William H. Key Ii