The question of the U.S. Army's strategic deployability and how it can be enhanced are not new concepts. Since the end of world war two the amount of sea lift and air lift seem to have fallen behind over the decades, in terms of being able to deploy and then sustain a(n) invasion/expeditionary force in a contested battle space. This issue has been exacerbated with budget reductions and the Anti-access/ area- denial challenge.
In recent war games the Army's own conclusions about such a scenario show only light forces and strikers brigades being able to gain entry, but are then rapidly contained by heavier forces and are prevented from expanding and deploying heavier units and keeping them supplied.
Although I am a mere veteran of the field artillery and in no way an expert, it would appear light infantry forces like the Army Rangers would be ideal. The Ranger regiments proved to be invaluable in virtually every landing in ETO.
Should the Army consider increasing the numbers of active battalions in 75th or add another Regiment entirely? Given their value on the battlefield and their ability to operate with a reduced logistal tail (target) it would seem money well spent. I don't think we should have units similar to Viet Cong Sapper units but given the wars we will most likely find ourselves in in this new century, effective and true light formations seem a logical step for addressing the Army's problem of strategic deployability and sustainability.
In recent war games the Army's own conclusions about such a scenario show only light forces and strikers brigades being able to gain entry, but are then rapidly contained by heavier forces and are prevented from expanding and deploying heavier units and keeping them supplied.
Although I am a mere veteran of the field artillery and in no way an expert, it would appear light infantry forces like the Army Rangers would be ideal. The Ranger regiments proved to be invaluable in virtually every landing in ETO.
Should the Army consider increasing the numbers of active battalions in 75th or add another Regiment entirely? Given their value on the battlefield and their ability to operate with a reduced logistal tail (target) it would seem money well spent. I don't think we should have units similar to Viet Cong Sapper units but given the wars we will most likely find ourselves in in this new century, effective and true light formations seem a logical step for addressing the Army's problem of strategic deployability and sustainability.
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