The world of 2025 will bulge with volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) characteristics. Todays Globalization makes information on advance and lethal technology available to near-peer states, poor states, non-states and individuals. This infusion of information and technology to potential adversaries will challenge the U.S. competitive advantages in many, if not all, domains in the military spectrum in the near future. The United States’ fiscal challenges and current budgetary practices add much complexity to the world of 2025. If the current U.S. appropriation practices and economic trajectory remain constant, the United States Joint Force (USJF) will have much less financial support and stability to plan and execute
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The 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) offers the grand strategy for DOD to reduce the size and capabilities of the USJF while maintaining the same U.S. Defense Strategy Guidance to protect the homeland, build security globally to preserve regional stability, and project power and win decisively. The National Military Strategy (NMS) and the Capstone Concept for Joint Operations (CCJO) further develop the QDR strategic guidance bridging the gap between strategic and operational application. The NMS continues to emphasize greater agility, innovation and integration to shape the world security environment and provide the DOD with their NMO listed as missile defense, nuclear deterrence, space, air/sea, precision strike, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and counter terror and special forces (SOF). The CCJO provides the key elements necessary to implement the force integration needed to maximize USJF efficiency and minimize cost.
Lethality, the fulcrum of USJF capabilities, is the key to deterring a direct attack on the U.S. homeland or treaty allies. To deter aggression, USJF must maintain viable nuclear capabilities, air superiority, and ground forces readiness. Deterrence pushes State and Non-State actors toward the “gray-zone” conflict, which is preferable to a direct …show more content…
To meet the intent of QDR 2014 and confront the current fiscal realities, DOD is reducing the cost by eliminating redundant capabilities and depth throughout the USJF. This reduction cuts at the heart of USJF resiliency and lethality; these capabilities are vital for defending the homeland, deterring or defeating near-peer competitors. The current Air Force attempt to slow production of the F-35 and “retire” their A-10 CAS platform and replace it with multi-functional platforms like the F-16 is an example of this risk. Removing the A-10 and slowing the production of the F-35 makes the USAF less lethal and USA less
The 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) offers the grand strategy for DOD to reduce the size and capabilities of the USJF while maintaining the same U.S. Defense Strategy Guidance to protect the homeland, build security globally to preserve regional stability, and project power and win decisively. The National Military Strategy (NMS) and the Capstone Concept for Joint Operations (CCJO) further develop the QDR strategic guidance bridging the gap between strategic and operational application. The NMS continues to emphasize greater agility, innovation and integration to shape the world security environment and provide the DOD with their NMO listed as missile defense, nuclear deterrence, space, air/sea, precision strike, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and counter terror and special forces (SOF). The CCJO provides the key elements necessary to implement the force integration needed to maximize USJF efficiency and minimize cost.
Lethality, the fulcrum of USJF capabilities, is the key to deterring a direct attack on the U.S. homeland or treaty allies. To deter aggression, USJF must maintain viable nuclear capabilities, air superiority, and ground forces readiness. Deterrence pushes State and Non-State actors toward the “gray-zone” conflict, which is preferable to a direct …show more content…
To meet the intent of QDR 2014 and confront the current fiscal realities, DOD is reducing the cost by eliminating redundant capabilities and depth throughout the USJF. This reduction cuts at the heart of USJF resiliency and lethality; these capabilities are vital for defending the homeland, deterring or defeating near-peer competitors. The current Air Force attempt to slow production of the F-35 and “retire” their A-10 CAS platform and replace it with multi-functional platforms like the F-16 is an example of this risk. Removing the A-10 and slowing the production of the F-35 makes the USAF less lethal and USA less