Research Catalog

Title

Smarter power, stronger partners. Volume I, Exploiting U.S. advantages to prevent aggression / Terrence K. Kelly, David C. Gompert, Duncan Long.

Author

Kelly, Terrence K.

Publication

• Santa Monica, Calif. : RAND Corporation, [2016]
• ©2016

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Additional Authors

• Arroyo Center
• Gompert, David C.,
• Long, Duncan,
• United States. Army commissioning body.

Description

xxxv, 242 pages : color illustrations; 23 cm

Summary

"The proliferation of anti-access and area denial (A2AD) capabilities threatens to undermine the viability of offensive force projection. Thus, certainty that the United States could decisively defeat any state in all circumstances could be eroding. The U.S. military has taken steps to mitigate these A2AD challenges, but the focus has been primarily on technical and tactical fixes to maintain offensive force-projection capabilities. Meanwhile, the problem is growing, and strong underlying factors favor A2AD over force projection economically and operationally. The research reported here examined trends in military capabilities among potential U.S. adversaries, and the report proposes an alternative way for the United States to secure its interests. Specifically, after accounting for the underlying motivations, technology, and economics of A2AD, the authors argue that countering A2AD will require a new and fundamentally different strategy. Informed by case studies involving China, Russia, and Iran that are detailed in a companion volume and expanded on here, the authors conclude that the United States should, with its partners, adopt a military strategy based on using A2AD to prevent aggression to defend its interests rather than defeating A2AD outright. This strategy would seek to prevent international aggression by enhancing U.S. and allied A2AD capabilities (Blue A2AD), pursuing new approaches to limiting the vulnerability of U.S. and allied forces to enemy A2AD, and employing nonmilitary means of coercing would-be aggressors. They conclude that such a strategy would be more effective and likely less expensive than the current approach to securing U.S. global interests."--Publisher's description.

Alternative Title

• Exploiting U.S. advantages to prevent aggression
• Exploiting United States advantages to prevent aggression

Subject

• Access denial (Military science) > United States
• Combined operations (Military science) > Evaluation
• Military planning > United States > Evaluation
• Security, International > 21st century
• United States. Army > Operational readiness

Note

• "RR-1359-A"--Cover page 4.
• At head of title: RAND Arroyo Center.
• "Prepared for the United States Army."

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (pages 233-242).

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

Preface -- Figures and Tables -- Summary -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- 1. Introduction: Background -- Objectives and Approach -- Definitions, Distinctions, and Scope -- Organization of This Report -- 2. Anti-Access and Area Denial Motivations, Requirements, and Capabilities: Motivations -- Capabilities and Requirements Needed for Anti-Access and Area Denial -- Capabilities Needed to Field Anti-Access and Area Denial -- Combining Motivations and Capabilities -- Conclusions and Implications -- 3. China, Russia, and Iran: China: Motivations and Capability -- Russia: Motivations and Capability -- Iran: Motivations and Capability -- Assessments and Comparison -- Conclusions and Implications -- 4. Force Projection Versus Anti-Access and Area Denial: Operational Factors -- Geographic Factors -- Technological Factors -- Economic Factors -- Conclusions: Integrating Operations, Geography, Technology, and Economics -- 5. How Anti-Access and Area Denial Competes with Force Projection: Summary Assessment of Scenarios and Implications: Scenario Development -- Summary of the Scenarios -- Implications of the Scenarios -- Conclusions -- 6. Alternative Counter--Anti-Access and Area Denial Strategies: The Alternatives -- Assessing the Alternatives -- Conclusions -- 7. An Integrated U.S. Strategy to Project Power and Prevent Aggression: Key Ideas Informing an Integrated Strategy -- Elements of an Integrated Strategy -- Enabling Capabilities for an Integrated Strategy -- Assessing the Proposed Integrated Strategy -- Gray-Area Aggression -- Conclusions -- 8. The Role of the U.S. Army in the Proposed Integrated Strategy -- The U.S. Army in Joint and Coalition Anti-Access and Area Denial Operations: How Conflicts Might Play Out -- Improving the Survivability and Anti-Access and Area Denial Capacity of Land Forces with New Organizational, Doctrinal, and Technological Approaches -- Increasing Allied Defense Capabilities -- Conclusions and Implications -- 9. Findings and Recommendations: Findings -- Recommendations -- Further Research Required -- Bibliography.

ISBN

• 9780833092618
• 0833092618

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library