A Joint Idea: An Antisubmarine Warfare Approach to Theater Missile Defense
Abstract
This article briefly describes how the philosophy that guides the U.S. Navy's antisubmarine warfare (ASW) operations can be used to organize a theater missile defense campaign (TMD). It treats TMD as a fundamentally joint operation and describes how this ASW philosophy can integrate service capabilities into an extremely effective defense against the ballistic missile threat. To support this argument, the article briefly sketches the fundamentals of ASW operations and applies them to the problem of locating and destroying mobile missiles before they can be launched. It then explains why each of the services should play a role in a TMD strategy inspired by ASW. It also suggests which commander in chief (CINC) should take at least peacetime responsibility for promoting the TMD effort. The article concludes with some observations about the role of ideas in joint warfare. The article is followed by two commentaries, one by Dr. Ronald J. Kurth and the other by Captain George Conner, USNR, Retired.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA527932
Entities
People
- James J. Wirtz
Organizations
- Air University