Heavy Armor in the Future Security Environment
Abstract
With deep budget cuts imminent, the U.S. Army has been under pressure to demonstrate a valid need for heavy brigade combat teams in the future security environment of irregular warfare and of possible air- and sea-centric conflicts with China -- an environment in which many believe that such teams will be largely irrelevant. The purpose of this paper is to explain the utility of heavy armored forces (comprised of tanks and infantry fighting vehicles) against the full range of potential enemies that the United States could face in the future: nonstate irregular, state-sponsored hybrid, and state adversaries. This paper examines the weapons, organizational skills, and command and control capabilities of these adversaries, drawing on recent experiences across the range of military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza, and Lebanon. It identifies the contributions of heavy armored forces during these operations and describes a scalable approach to force structure that would help ensure that the United States has the capabilities needed to engage each potential adversary, but without having to maintain specialized forces for every type of contingency.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA552688
Entities
People
- David E. Johnson
Organizations
- RAND Corporation