AirLand Battle Execution -- Some Implications of Deep Attack.

The Army and Air Force have committed to the concept of AirLand Battle. A cornerstone of this new doctrine is the attack of enemy second echelon units deep in his rear. The Department of Defense and Congress have shown interest in pursuing a deep attack strategy and are directing the services to get on with hardware solutions. As of this date, neither service has constructed firm requirements that will cause development programs to begin. The concept of deep attack carries with it major resource and strategy implications. The services must carefully examine the deep attack option and select the best course of action for the future. There exist many constraints which will dictate whether or not deep attack can be translated from doctrine into effective hardware that is appropriate for the AirLand Battle. Until the services complete an in-depth evaluation of both their requirements and these constraints, develop realistic needs and weigh the cost-effectiveness of proposed systems, no commitment to a hardware solution that requires significant investment should be made. It remains to be seen if the services can agree on solutions that will make deep attack a reality.