ABSTRACT
Up to this point in the text, this study has offered transformational concepts for integrating airpower with the U.S. Army’s new BCT construct. In general, these concepts have been developed under the assumption that the BCT could and would be employed in accordance with the Army’s bold and innovative future employment strategy. The purpose of this chapter is to look closely at how these combat brigades can be feasibly employed in a distributed manner and sustained as autonomous fighting units. The 2004 National Military Strategy stated that “moving forces into multiple geographic locations will require assured strategic access as well as strategic and tactical lift systems robust enough to conduct and sustain multiple, simultaneous operations” (National Military Strategy 2004, 14). With regard to strategic lift, the new BCT construct carries with it a substantial expectation of rapid deployment by intertheater airlift within drastically decreased timelines. As such, intertheater mobility is central to realizing Army transformation. The focus of this study, however, has been the employment of air and ground forces once in theater and not the deployment of personnel and equipment to the theater. This chapter, then, will resume focus on the movement and sustainment of ground forces already established in theater. While other studies have identified serious issues with expeditiously lifting new BCTs to the theater, this chapter will analyze similar intratheater challenges not adequately addressed elsewhere.1
