Looming Discontinuities in U.S. Military Strategy and Defense Planning: Colliding RMAs Necessitate a New Strategy

Abstract

The United States is entering a period of discontinuity in its defense planning, something that may be seen by future historians as a planning crisis. As indicated schematically in Figure S.1, the discontinuity stems from technology diffusion that is leveling aspects of the playing field militarily, geostrategic changes, and the range of potential adversaries. These are leading to (1) the United States having to deal with a demanding mix of "complex operations" (e.g., counterinsurgency and stabilization) and traditional challenges; (2) the increasing difficulty of force projection in some important circumstances; (3) a related block obsolescence of U.S. forces and concepts of operations; and (4) the need for a new grand strategy in the Asia-Pacific region. Obstacles exist to taking on these challenges-notably, the demands of current wars, military complacency due to decades of military overmatch, and severe national fiscal constraints.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2011
Accession Number
ADA539738

Entities

People

  • Pauk K. Davis
  • Peter A. Wilson

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Autonomy
  • Biomedical
  • Counter WMD
  • Cyber
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Aircrafts
  • Combat Areas
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Geography
  • Guided Bombs
  • International Organizations
  • Military History
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Prompt Global Strike
  • Recreation
  • Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
  • Warfare
  • Weapons Effects
  • Weapons Of Mass Destruction

Readers

  • Combustion Dynamics and Shock Wave Physics.
  • Strategic Security Studies