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Army Transformation and the Future Combat System View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Calhoun, Institutional Archive of the Naval Postgraduate School Calhoun: The NPS Institutional Archive Theses and Dissertations Thesis Collection 2008-03 Army transformation and the Future Combat System Gregory, Robert H. Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School http://hdl.handle.net/10945/4205 NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS ARMY TRANSFORMATION AND THE FUTURE COMBAT SYSTEM by Robert H. Gregory, Jr. March 2008 Thesis Advisor: Daniel Moran Second Reader: James Wirtz Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson Davis Highway, Suite 1204, Arlington, VA 22202-4302, and to the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0704-0188) Washington DC 20503. 1. AGENCY USE ONLY (Leave blank) 2. REPORT DATE 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED March 2008 Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Army Transformation and the Future Combat System 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) Robert H. Gregory, Jr. 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION Naval Postgraduate School REPORT NUMBER Monterey, CA 93943-5000 9. SPONSORING /MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING N/A AGENCY REPORT NUMBER 11. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES The views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of Defense or the U.S. Government. 12a. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT 12b. DISTRIBUTION CODE Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. 13. ABSTRACT (maximum 200 words) This thesis examines current efforts to transform the U.S. Army to face new challenges. The Army’s transformation is based on the development of the Future Combat System (FCS), initiated in 1999. The FCS consists of eight new manned vehicles, various unmanned sensors, robotic vehicles, and remote controlled missiles, all connected by a common network. Critics of the Army’s transformation contend that this equipment and associated doctrine is based on traditional Cold War scenarios rather than the types of challenges the Army is likely to face. This thesis examines whether the FCS is influenced by traditional preferences for certain types of doctrine, equipment, and capabilities. To do this, the development of the Army’s current capabilities, through past reforms, is first described. Second, the influence of tradition on the development of future capabilities is examined. Third, the potential for FCS to achieve its design goals is measured in both technical and strategic terms. Fourth, the manner in which FCS capabilities relate to irregular warfare is examined from the perspective of the Army’s combat arms branches. Finally, considering the significance of institutional culture and past reforms, this thesis determines if outdated traditional considerations influence current Army transformation efforts. 14. SUBJECT TERMS 15. NUMBER OF Army Transformation, Future Combat System, Revolution in Military Affairs, Modularity, Brigade PAGES Combat Team, Counterinsurgency, Irregular Warfare, Traditional Warfare, Military Reform, Army 135 Doctrine 16. PRICE CODE 17. SECURITY 18. SECURITY 19. SECURITY 20. LIMITATION OF CLASSIFICATION OF CLASSIFICATION OF THIS CLASSIFICATION OF ABSTRACT REPORT PAGE ABSTRACT Unclassified Unclassified Unclassified UU NSN 7540-01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2-89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239-18 i THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK ii Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited ARMY TRANSFORMATION AND THE FUTURE COMBAT SYSTEM Robert H. Gregory, Jr. Captain, United States Army B.S., United States Military Academy, 2003 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS IN SECURITY STUDIES (DEFENSE DECISION-MAKING) from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL March 2008 Author: Robert H. Gregory, Jr. Approved by: Daniel Moran Thesis Advisor James Wirtz Second Reader Harold Trinkunas Chairman, Department of National Security Affairs iii THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK iv ABSTRACT This thesis examines current efforts to transform the U.S. Army to face new challenges. The Army’s transformation is based on the development of the Future Combat System (FCS), initiated in 1999. The FCS consists of eight new manned vehicles, various unmanned sensors, robotic vehicles, and remote controlled missiles, all connected by a common network. Critics of the Army’s transformation contend that this equipment and associated doctrine is based on traditional Cold War scenarios rather than the types of challenges the Army is likely to face. This thesis examines whether the FCS is influenced by traditional preferences for certain types of doctrine, equipment, and capabilities. To do this, the development of the Army’s current capabilities, through past reforms, is first described. Second, the influence of tradition on the development of future capabilities is examined. Third, the potential for FCS to achieve its design goals is measured in both technical and strategic terms. Fourth, the manner in which FCS capabilities relate to irregular warfare is examined from the perspective of the Army’s combat arms branches. Finally, considering the significance of institutional culture and past reforms, this thesis determines if outdated traditional considerations influence current Army transformation efforts. v THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK vi TABLE OF CONTENTS I. ARMY TRANSFORMATION ...................................................................................1 II. TRADITIONAL WARFARE .....................................................................................7 A. POST-VIETNAM ARMY AND ORIGINS OF TRADITIONAL WARFARE.......................................................................................................9 B. SOURCES OF U.S. ARMY DOCTRINE....................................................11 1. Maneuver Without Movement: Tactical Attrition .........................13 C. FIELD MANUALS ........................................................................................16 D. EQUIPMENT.................................................................................................22 E. PERSONNEL SYSTEM................................................................................24 F. TRAINING REFORMS ................................................................................28 G. CONCLUSION ..............................................................................................30 III. “BREAKING STARCH”: THE RESILIENCE OF TRADITION.......................33 A. MILITARY REFORM AND NEW UNIFORMS.......................................36 B. STARCHING CAMOUFLAGE: THE RESTORATION OF TRADITION DURING REFORM ..............................................................41 C. “BREAKING STARCH”: THE ARMY COMBAT UNIFORM (ACU)..42 IV. FUTURE COMBAT SYSTEM................................................................................47 A. AIR MECHANIZATION (AIR-MECH) CONCEPT ................................49 1. Historical Cases of Air-Mech............................................................55 2. Operation Jonathan...........................................................................56 3. Operation Airborne Dragon .............................................................58 4. Analysis of Air-Mech Concept..........................................................60 B. SYSTEM OF SYSTEMS COMMON OPERATING ENVIRONMENT...........................................................................................61 1. Counterbattery Radars in Kosovo ...................................................67 2. Counterbattery Radars in Afghanistan and Iraq ...........................72 3. Counterbattery Radar Developments..............................................74 4. Analysis of Networked Sensors (SOSCOE).....................................75 C. INFORMATION AGE WARFARE ............................................................76 V. IRREGULAR WARFARE AND BUDGET POLITICS........................................79 A. FINDING KING ARTHUR’S SWORD.......................................................80 B. EXCALIBUR (XM982) .................................................................................83 C. ARTILLERY SYSTEMS AND PERSONNEL AT THE BRIGADE AND DIVISION LEVEL...............................................................................84 D. FINISHING DECISIVELY: THE COMBAT ARM OF DECISION.......92 E. MODULARITY: ORGANIZING THE NEW LEGION ...........................95 F. OFFICER PERSONNEL FOR MODULAR BRIGADES.........................98 G. INFANTRY: “SAVING THE CRUNCHIES” ..........................................100 VI. CONCLUSION: TROUBLE WITH THE FCS MARKETING CONCEPT? ...103 vii LIST OF REFERENCES....................................................................................................105 A. BOOKS .........................................................................................................105
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