U.S. Army Engineer Support to Expeditionary Warfare

The Army's efforts to project power from the continental United States is dependent on the Army's ability to deploy a full-spectrum land force capable of engaging future asymmetrical threats. Studies have shown that current airlift assets are incapable of meeting the nation's strategic needs in a single Major Theater of War (MTW). Therefore, sealift must fill the vital role deploying follow-on and sustainment forces necessary to support tactical and strategic operations. The Army Chief of Staff's mobility requirement stipulates that Objective Force units will arrive in theater within 96 hours, a division within 120 hours, and five divisions within 30 days. In order to fulfill these requirements, the Army and the Navy is considering the acquisition of high-speed sealift platforms incorporating shallow-draft capabilities necessary to fulfill future strategic mobility requirements. High-speed sealift vessels like the Large Medium Speed roll- on/Roll-off will enable follow-on forces to arrive with days of the first unit departure. Investment in high-speed sealift vessels is worthless if equipment cannot leave the harbor or cross a shoreline because of undeveloped infrastructure in the area of operation. In view of many other Army transformation requirements, Army transportation units have made progress in their capability to support deploying forces but movements to an inland transportation system require engineer units that have made no transformation. This strategic research paper discusses current engineer capabilities, explores future modular unit concepts, and proposes construction equipment acquisition or leasing arrangement for ensuring mobility for expeditionary warfare.
The original document contains color images.