AN ANALYSIS OF SIZE, WEIGHT AND POWER (SWAP) FOR EMP SHIELDING OF THE RAAD SYSTEM

In 2019, the U.S. Army’s Future Study Program designed and led the Unified Quest Multinational Seminar Wargame. This wargame examined U.S. forces, partners, and allies’ interoperability requirements to defeat a near-peer threat in a future operational environment. As part of the seminar wargame, Army forces executed a critical air assault operation in adversary-controlled terrain to support a river crossing. This task covers multiple aspects of operational planning and coordination for an assault operation as outlined in AFC Pamphlet 71 20-1. An air assault execution revealed the challenges of performing a complex forcible entry operation in a contested, anti-access/aerial denial (A2/AD) environment. Even with future aircraft, the air assault operation was vulnerable to enemy air defense capabilities. Landing zone restrictions reduce the number of areas the multinational forces could conduct air assault operations, providing a marked advantage to near-peer adversaries in planning likely counterattack operations and increasing the risk to forces. Through a combination of integrated air defense systems (IADS), indirect fires, direct fires, and reserve formations specifically tasked with contesting air assault operations, threat forces are expected to contest the air assault force during insertion. As the report stated, the wargame demonstrated the need for new Army air assault capabilities.Major, United States ArmyMajor, United States ArmyCaptain, United States ArmyMajor, United States ArmyMajor, United States ArmyApproved for public release. Distribution is unlimited