Parallel Warfare: A Strategy for the Future

This study investigates the viability of parallel warfare as a strategy for the future. After Desert Storm, much controversy was generated was generated over the use of airpower and whether that use could be repeated in another theater. Parallel warfare is the application of combat power simultaneously at the strategic, operational, and tactical levels of war to effect paralysis on the enemy's ability to function. It can reduce the time and manpower invested in a conflict. The study begins with an analysis of the methods employed in Desert Storm to develop a baseline measurement for further analysis. Next, a major theater war scenario on the Korean peninsula and a small scale conflict, such as the Balkans, are examined to determine if parallel warfare is achievable. It is suggested that parallel warfare is a viable strategy for the future, yet it does have some limits with respect to the sophistication and size of the enemy.