Are the Department of Defense Non-Lethal Weapon Capabilities Adequate for the 21st Century
Abstract
In today's 21st century global security environment non-lethal weapons are essential to Joint Force Commanders capabilities. The current Department of Defense (DOD) non-lethal weapon capabilities attempt to provide flexible tailored and incremental options to avoid unintended consequences: non-combatant casualties and/or destruction to civilian equipment and infrastructure. However given the adaptive global security environment of the 21st century the ability of DOD to effectively and efficiently develop resource deploy and employ non-lethal weapon capabilities is debatable because: (1) There is no satisfactory national guidance or strategy that clearly defines or unmistakably outlines the importance of non-lethal weapons; (2) DOD does not have the appropriate Joint organizational hierarchy with adequate resources and processes to develop and procure non-lethal weapon capabilities; (3) DOD's institutional kinetic culture inhibits the development and procurement of non-lethal weapon capabilities. This project will review the lack of current national policy DOD structure and processes for non-lethal weapons while recommending solutions in cultural change to advance adaptable capabilities in today's volatile uncertain complex and ambiguous global security environment of the 21st century. Finally policy recommendations from this assessment will suggest enhancements to strike a suitable balance between lethal and non-lethal weapon capabilities for our soldiers marines airmen and sailors.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 15, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA448633
Entities
People
- Jeffery L. Underhill
Organizations
- United States Army War College