Based, Multi-Domain Anti-Access/Area Denial Forces Play in Deterring Or Defeating Aggression?
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What Role Can Land- Based, Multi-Domain Anti-Access/Area Denial Forces Play in Deterring or Defeating Aggression? Timothy M. Bonds, Joel B. Predd, Timothy R. Heath, Michael S. Chase, Michael Johnson, Michael J. Lostumbo, James Bonomo, Muharrem Mane, Paul S. Steinberg C O R P O R A T I O N For more information on this publication, visit www.rand.org/t/RR1820 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available for this publication. ISBN: 978-0-8330-9746-0 Published by the RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, Calif. © Copyright 2017 RAND Corporation R® is a registered trademark. Limited Print and Electronic Distribution Rights This document and trademark(s) contained herein are protected by law. This representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for noncommercial use only. Unauthorized posting of this publication online is prohibited. Permission is given to duplicate this document for personal use only, as long as it is unaltered and complete. 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Support RAND Make a tax-deductible charitable contribution at www.rand.org/giving/contribute www.rand.org Preface This report documents the results of the RAND Arroyo Center proj- ect entitled “Strategic and Service Implications of Developing and Deploying Land-Based A2AD Systems by the U.S. Army.” The objec- tive of this study was to examine how fielding land-based anti-access/ area denial (A2/AD) capabilities would affect regional, political, eco- nomic, and military dimensions of relations in key regions, as well as what would need to be done to establish appropriate force structure, doctrine, concept of operations, and other requirements to support counter-A2/AD strategy. This report examines concepts for employing land-based, multi-domain A2/AD forces to deter or defeat aggression in the western Pacific, European littoral areas, and the Persian Gulf. This research was sponsored by the Headquarters, Department of the Army, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-8, Army Quadrennial Defense Review Office, and conducted within the RAND Arroyo Center’s Strategy, Doctrine, and Resources Program. RAND Arroyo Center, part of the RAND Corporation, is a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the United States Army. The Project Unique Identification Code (PUIC) for the project that produced this document is HQD156917. iii Contents Preface ............................................................................. iii Summary .......................................................................... ix Acknowledgments ............................................................ xxiii CHAPTER ONE Introduction ....................................................................... 1 Background ......................................................................... 1 Study Objective and Motivation ................................................10 Organization of This Document ................................................12 CHAPTER TWO China in the Western Pacific: Core Interests and Strategic Intentions ....................................................................15 China’s Core Interests ............................................................16 China’s Strategic Intentions ......................................................17 Disputes with the United States .................................................18 Sovereignty Disputes with Japan ................................................21 Sovereignty Disputes with the Philippines .....................................25 Sovereignty Disputes with Taiwan ..............................................32 Current Chinese Focus on Resolving Sovereignty Disputes .................33 CHAPTER THREE China-Japan Relationship from Japan’s Standpoint ......................35 Context: U.S. Relationship with Japan .........................................35 Potential China-Japan Conflict Scenarios ..................................... 36 v vi Land-Based, Multi-Domain Anti-Access/Area Denial Forces Addressing the China Threat from Japan’s Standpoint ...................... 40 What the U.S. Army Can Do to Help the Japanese GSDF Help Itself ... 43 CHAPTER FOUR China-Philippines Relationship from the Philippines’ Standpoint ....45 Context: U.S. Relationship with the Philippines ..............................45 Potential China-Philippines Conflict Scenarios ...............................47 Addressing the China Threat from the Philippines’ Standpoint .............51 What the U.S. Military Could Do to Help the Philippines Help Itself ... 56 CHAPTER FIVE China-Taiwan Relationship from Taiwan’s Standpoint ..................59 Context: U.S. Relationship with Taiwan .......................................59 Potential China-Taiwan Conflict Scenarios ....................................62 Addressing the China Threat from Taiwan’s Standpoint .....................65 What the U.S. Army Could Do to Help Taiwan Help Itself ............... 68 CHAPTER SIX The Growing Chinese A2/AD Threat and Blue A2/AD Strategies and Operational Concepts to Counter It ...............................71 Expected Growth in China’s National Power and Its Impact on Its Military Capability ..........................................................72 The Chinese A2/AD Threat ......................................................73 What Approaches Can the United States and Its Allies and Partners Take to Defeat Aggression Shielded by A2/AD Forces? .................75 Imposing Blue A2/AD Challenges to Deter or Defeat Aggression ......... 77 Imposing Blue A2/AD—Illustrative China Cases ............................82 The Russian A2/AD Threat ......................................................91 Defending the Persian Gulf ......................................................95 CHAPTER SEVEN Potential Roles for U.S. Land-Based Fires in Joint Missions ........... 99 Constraints on U.S. Land-Based Fires ........................................ 99 Potential Army Roles in Anti-Ship Operations .............................. 106 Potential Army Roles in Long-Range Ground Strike Operations ......... 117 Potential U.S. Army Roles in Defending Against Low-Altitude Air and Cruise Missile Attacks ................................................ 131 Contents vii Results of Ground-Based A2/AD Mission Assessment ..................... 134 Estimates of the Costs to Field Land-Based Missile Systems .............. 136 Near-Term Force Structure Options for Ground-Based Multi-Domain Fires ....................................................... 143 Future Force Structure Options for Ground-Based Multi-Domain Fires ....................................................... 147 CHAPTER EIGHT Recommendations, Open Questions, and Next Steps .................. 149 Areas for Further Analysis and Development ............................... 151 Figures and Tables ............................................................. 153 Abbreviations ................................................................... 155 References ....................................................................... 159 Summary Context China is seeking to build a regional and international order that ele- vates its status and influence, something that provides a primary strate- gic driver for China’s pursuit of control over Taiwan and the East and South China Seas. Given Chinese territorial ambitions and China’s aspirations for greater regional influence, the highest potential for crisis and conflict in the western Pacific lies in disputes between China and its neighbors that escalate into armed conflict. Because of U.S. security commitments to its allies in the region, a conflict involving China and an ally would almost unavoidably involve the United States at some level. Chinese military writing is placing increased emphasis on how to counter U.S. capabilities coming to the aid of the United States’ western-Pacific allies. The People’s Liberation Army has embarked on an ambitious modernization program that is steadily fielding a formi- dable anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) force—including A2 capabili- ties that limit the ability of opposing forces to enter an operational area and AD capabilities that degrade the ability of opposing air and naval forces to operate or maneuver freely. Russia also poses an A2/AD challenge to the United States and its North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies. In 60 hours or less, Russian forces are capable of overrunning forces currently pos- ix x Land-Based, Multi-Domain Anti-Access/Area Denial Forces tured in the Baltics.1 NATO forces racing to reinforce the Baltic states must pass within range of Russian A2/AD forces, most notably those in Kaliningrad. Operating under this A2/AD umbrella, Russian naval and air forces could mount attacks and amphibious operations in the rear areas of Estonia and Latvia, seize Gotland and other strategic islands, and interdict sea traffic from Stockholm to NATO forces in Riga and Tallinn. To address these challenges, RAND Arroyo Center analysts exam- ined the