NCJ Number
189709
Date Published
2001
Length
108 pages
Annotation
The report focuses on the long-term issues facing U.S. defense and national security and the changes that will be needed to ensure U.S. leadership, security, and prosperity of the American people in the 21st century.
Abstract
America enters the 21st century as the country with the most political, economic, and military power. Today's threats are not necessarily the ones that will occur in the future. Borders are changing, cultures are clashing and the population is growing. The Military must transform itself within the context of a parallel review of the entire national security establishment. America must maintain its power in information operations, space, weapons of mass destruction, and transnational problems. The Armed Forces must be trained to protect the U.S. domestically from terrorism, information warfare, ballistic missiles, and attacks on critical infrastructure. To keep the region stable, forces should attain interoperability among allies. Military power should be projected more rapidly with smaller units and with greater lethality. Highest priority should be given to detection of weapons of mass destruction and a non-nuclear deterrent should be provided. The Military should place greater emphasis on such characteristics as mobility, stealth, and precision strikes. Reserve units should take a more active role and have more responsibilities. Services will have to tap into rapidly advancing technologies to develop new military systems that can be applied within the framework of new operational concepts, such as advances in technology to be a double-edged sword in the new intelligence environment. The command structure should be more unified. Glossary