The Pros And Cons Of The Joint Force

The most pressing global security trend that will influence the required capabilities of the Joint Force is the proliferation of offensive cyberspace capabilities amongst U.S. adversaries. “The continuing advancement of communications and computer technology has significantly reduced acquisition costs leading to the rapid proliferation of cyberspace capabilities, considerably complicating the Operational Environment (OE)” (JP 3-12, I-4) for the Joint Force.

Threat actors that previously lacked conventional military capabilities to challenge the U.S. can now achieve an asymmetrical advantage through the employment of cyber-attacks. State and non-state actors can quickly negate U.S. military superiority with directed cyber-attacks against both

homeland, the growing interconnectivity of society and the “system of systems” as it relates to infrastructure, commerce, transportation, etc… means that an attack on one system could result in significant damage to U.S. critical infrastructure as a whole. (Denmark and Mulvenon, 7) Widespread power outages, transportation failures and other vulnerabilities may be exploited with near anonymity. (Denmark and Mulvenon, 30)

In order to effectively combat this threat, the Joint Force will need to “employ new military occupations, weapons and even [create] entire units” (Miller, 51) to deal with this evolving security trend. Additionally, the U.S. must devote added resources to advancing internal cybersecurity through the increased employment of DOD and civilian experts in the field. If the U.S. does not invest heavily in systems, processes and personnel to support offensive cyberspace capabilities, then the U.S. risks losing its current military edge.

The proliferation of cheap cyberspace technology coupled with the unregulated nature of the internet creates an OE where a small group of adversaries can wreak havoc on the most technologically advanced societies. As a result, cyberspace operations will be the most important security trend influencing the OE for Joint Force

Military Competition in the Space Domain

Increased state and private sector activity in the Space domain is a growing global security trend influencing the future Joint Force. ” For the past seventy years, “the openness and stability of the global commons in space have been protected by U.S. military dominance and sustained by U.S. political and economic leadership” (Denmark and Mulvenon, 7). For decades the U.S. military has used space to coordinate and communicate activities on the battlefield, making space an integral component of U.S. operations.

U.S. military advantages in Space, to include reconnaissance, communications, and navigation capabilities, will be rivalled “with 80 countries participating in space activities and more expected in the next few years” (Clapper, 9). Of those countries Russia and China are developing “counterspace weapon systems to deny, degrade, or disrupt U.S. space systems (Clapper, 9). The Space Commons does not have to be a contested domain. Operating and protecting the Space Commons opens new opportunities for cooperation with Russia and China. As the Secretary of Defense stated recently, “Just like with the maritime and cyber domains… it’s in the self-interest of every nation to advance the common interest of a free and stable environment in space” (Carter, 5). Furthermore, in the current austere fiscal environment the U.S. cannot singlehandedly protect the Space Commons, therefore alternate funding and cooperation with other nations will