ABSTRACT
This chapter analyzes the implications of nuclear parity and the conventional imbalance between North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Warsaw Pact, the European Security Study (ESECS) argues that NATO faced a compelling need for stronger conventional capabilities in order to achieve its purposes of deterrence, defense, and reassurance. The original ESECS Report concluded that NATO could greatly strengthen its conventional capabilities by making better use of more advanced conventional systems to perform specific key missions to blunt and counter any Soviet conventional aggression. The Soviet Union would prefer to pursue its goals by means other than direct military attack. The greater part of Warsaw Pact combat power resides in the follow-on forces at the outset of any possible campaign. Coherent and continuous command/control and supporting communications would be needed to manage both the overall combined arms campaign and the execution of the several complementary missions. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
