Ustranscom

Strategic Mobility . . . the Key to Enhancing U.S. Security

Our nation can never again isolate itself from global developments. Increasing global interdependence coupled with our worldwide security interests force us to keep our finger on the pulse of activities around the globe. Today, the United States faces no immediate threat to national survival, but military force remains an indispensable instrument of our national power. As they have in years past, our National Command Authorities will continue to employ military forces when our national interests are threatened.

Today's National Military Strategy increases our reliance on our ability to project our forces when and where needed. Strategic mobility is the instrument that allows the United States to play upon the world stage at whatever level is chosen by our national leadership. In Joint Vision 2010, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff provides a common direction into the next century for our services.

The Chairman's vision calls for the capability to dominate an opponent across the range of military operations -- Full Spectrum Dominance. To achieve that, the strategic capability to rapidly move adequate U.S. forces where needed becomes even more critical to the success of future operations.

Now more than ever, U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) must continue to strengthen and improve all facets of strategic mobility. The potential range of regional threats in the next 20 years is so broad that no single scenario can be identified as a basis for planning.

In Cold War contingency planning for Europe or Korea, the United States counted on a robust infrastructure and coordinated contribution by well-equipped and sophisticated allied armed forces. U.S. military strategy today calls for more military forces to be based in the Continental United States (CONUS) and a reduced forward presence overseas.

With fewer and fewer U.S. forces permanently stationed overseas, we must increase our capability to project military power abroad. When coupled with our overseas presence, credible power projection serves as a deterrent to potential adversaries, and gives national leaders additional time and increased flexibility when responding to a crisis.

Our ability to rapidly project power worldwide depends on increased airlift capability, additional prepositioning of heavy equipment afloat and ashore, increased