Accession Number:

ADA288748

Title:

America's Middleweight Force: Enhancing the Versatility of the 82nd Airborne Division for the 21st Century.

Descriptive Note:

Monograph rept.,

Corporate Author:

ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COLL FORT LEAVENWORTH KS SCHOOL OF ADVANCED MIL ITARY STUDIES

Personal Author(s):

• Nicholson, John W., Jr

Report Date:

1994-01-01

Pagination or Media Count:

61.0

Abstract:

This study examines the Armys need for a middleweight force. Such a force must be rapidly deployable, opposed entry capable, lethal, tactically mobile and survivable against well armed 21st Century threats. Versatility is essential for the middleweight force, so that it can create force packages of combat power, firepower, maneuver, protection, leadership , tailored for the unique conditions of each contingency. The 82nd Airborne Division, the Armys premier conventional early entry division, possesses many of these capabilities already, but needs greater tactical mobility, firepower and sustainment capability to become a middleweight force. This study explores the versatility of the Division Ready Brigade task force using the Wass de Czege Relative Combat Power Model. Prepositioning of force enhancement packages, called DRB sets, around the world is an affordable way to address the shortcomings identified in the versatility analysis. These sets would be transported into an airhead using intratheater airlift, thus significantly upgrading DRE capability without requiring excessive intertheater airlift sorties. A feasibility study of the DRB set proposal in terms of airlift, training, money, and time concludes the monograph.

Descriptors:

• *MILITARY FORCES(UNITED STATES)
• *COMBAT EFFECTIVENESS
• *ARMY PLANNING
• MOBILITY
• THEATER LEVEL OPERATIONS
• LEADERSHIP
• SURVIVABILITY
• MODELS
• BRIGADE LEVEL ORGANIZATIONS
• TASK FORCES
• FEASIBILITY STUDIES
• MISSIONS
• LETHALITY
• MANEUVERS
• POWER
• TACTICAL WARFARE
• FIREPOWER
• AIRLIFT OPERATIONS
• PREPOSITIONING(LOGISTICS)

Subject Categories:

• Military Forces and Organizations

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE