Future Combat Systems: Overcoming Resistance to the Army's Modernization Strategy

Abstract

The current Army modernization strategy is at risk due to increasing pressures to cut investments in Future Combat Systems (FCS). The Army faces an age-old dilemma: arriving at the right investment balance between current demands and relevant future forces. Although the Army firmly intends to avoid sacrificing future capabilities in order to fund near-term operations, the strategy to accomplish this balance is failing. Widely criticized as an unsustainable strategy, the FCS program is at the center of the current debate. This SRP explains why FCS, the centerpiece of Army modernization, is placing this strategy at risk. The Army's failure to effectively communicate its strategic goal is a big part of the story. How, then, should the Army improve its communications plan in order to assure full support for FCS? The SRP attempts to answer this question by projecting FCS beyond its performance as an acquisition program and accounting for current sources of resistance to the program. An effective strategic communications plan must counter this resistance in order to effectively support the current plan for Army modernization.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 12, 2007
Accession Number
ADA469663

Entities

People

  • Michael B. Glenn

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Biomedical
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Acquisition
  • Afghanistan Conflict
  • Aircrafts
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Department Of Defense
  • Education
  • Governments
  • Lessons Learned
  • Military Science
  • Resistance
  • Training
  • Unmanned Aerial Systems
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Unmanned Ground Vehicles
  • Unmanned Vehicles
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Defense Acquisition Program Management
  • Economics
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.