Gaining new military capability : an experiment in concept development / John Birkler, C. Richard Neu, Glenn Kent.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Birkler, J. L., 1944-

Contributor:

Neu, C. R. (Carl Richard), 1949-

Kent, Glenn A., 1915-2012.

United States. Department of Defense. Office of the Secretary of Defense.

National Defense Research Institute (U.S.)

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Military planning--United States.

Military planning.

United States.

United States--Armed Forces--Weapons systems.

Armed Forces.

Weapons systems.

Physical Description:

xx, 69 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Santa Monica, CA : Rand, 1998.

Summary:

The process of modernizing U.S. military forces is the focus of this report.

Contents:

Figures and Table ix

Acronyms xix

The Force Modernization Problem 1

The Need for New Concepts 2

Chapter 2 A Process for Modernizing Forces 3

How the Process Should Work 3

Step 1 Strategic Planners Establish Demands for Military Capabilities 3

Step 2 Creative Conceivers Formulate Options 5

Step 3 Top-Level Decisionmakers Choose Among Available Options 5

Step 4 Force Providers Implement Decisions 6

Current Approaches to Force Modernization Are Less Than Ideal 7

Chapter 3 Thinking About Military Missions 9

Military Missions 9

Choosing Topics for a RAND Concept-Development Initiative 11

Chapter 4 The Concept Options Group: A New Forum for Concept Development 15

The RAND COG Exercise 16

Organizing COG Discussions 17

Question 1 What, Precisely, Will U.S. Forces Have to Do to Accomplish the Military Task Being Discussed? 18

Question 2 What Are the Characteristic Signatures of Relevant Targets? 18

Question 3 What Technologies Could Be Used to Exploit Signatures, Vulnerabilities, or Necessary Activities by Hostile Forces? 19

Question 4 How Could the Technologies Identified in Discussions of the Last Question Be Exploited Operationally? 19

Question 5 How Can We Shape the Environment to Make U.S. Technological and Operational Options More Effective? 19

Process 19

Chapter 5 Some Promising Concepts 23

UAV Operations to Maintain Persistent Surveillance 24

A large, High-Flying UAV 25

A Small, Low-Flying UAV 27

Operational Concepts 28

Shaping the Environment 29

Ground-Based, Multimode Sensor Arrays 30

Sensor Packages 31

Deploying Sensors 34

Operational Concepts 35

Shaping the Environment 36

The Current State of Technology 36

Techniques for Detecting Concealed Small Arms 38

Millimeter-Wave Imaging 39

Radio-Frequency Resonance Detectors 40

Operational Concepts 41

Shaping the Environment 41

The Current State of Technology 42

Localizing Sources of Sniper Fire 43

High-Frame-Rte Infrared Imaging 43

Acoustic Detection of a Bullet in Flight 44

Detection of Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Associated with Rifle Fire 45

Operational Concepts 45

Shaping the Environment 47

Chapter 6 Observations 49

How the Group Functioned 50

How Well Did We Do? 51

How The Process Might Be Improved 52

A. Detailed Military Activities Considered by the RAND COG 55

B. Counterbattery Sensor System Concept 57

C. Resonance Weapon Recognition 61.

Notes:

"Prepared for the Office of the Secretary of Defense."

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN:

0833025864

OCLC:

38281663