The Army's Airborne Assault Forces - A Critical Component of the U.S. Military's Strategic Deterrence and Joint Forcible Entry Capability

Given the escalating A2/AD threat from U.S. adversaries, a growing number of critics argue that executing a JFEO by way of airborne assault is no longer feasible due to the associated risks. Despite the challenges with projecting joint forces into contested regions, the U.S. Army's airborne assault JFEO capability remains a viable option for military commanders to rapidly project combat power anywhere in the world once the A2/AD threat has been neutralized. Further, and perhaps more importantly, the U.S. Army's ability to deploy conventional and special operations airborne forces globally is a strong deterrent against hostile state and non-state actors.