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This electronic representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for non-commercial use only. Unauthorized posting of RAND PDFs to a non-RAND Web site is prohibited. RAND PDFs are protected under copyright law. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of our research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please see RAND Permissions. This product is part of the RAND Corporation monograph series. RAND monographs present major research findings that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND mono- graphs undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity. In the Middle of the Fight An Assessment of Medium-Armored Forces in Past Military Operations David E. Johnson (cid:116) Adam Grissom (cid:116) Olga Oliker Prepared for the United States Army Approved for public release; distribution unlimited ARROYO CENTER The research described in this report was sponsored by the United States Army under Contract No. W74V8H-06-C-0001. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Johnson, David E., 1950 Oct. 16– In the middle of the fight : an assessment of medium-armored forces in past military operations / David E. Johnson, Adam Grissom, Olga Oliker. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-0-8330-4413-6 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. United States. Army—Armored troops. 2. United States. Army—Armored troops—History. I. Grissom, Adam. II. Oliker, Olga. III. Title. UA30.J62 2008 358'.18—dc22 2008029010 The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit research organization providing objective analysis and effective solutions that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors around the world. RAND’s publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors. R ® is a registered trademark. Cover photos courtesy of the U.S. Army Center of Military History © Copyright 2008 RAND Corporation All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means (including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval) without permission in writing from RAND. Published 2008 by the RAND Corporation 1776 Main Street, P.O. Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138 1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22202-5050 4570 Fifth Avenue, Suite 600, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2665 RAND URL: http://www.rand.org To order RAND documents or to obtain additional information, contact Distribution Services: Telephone: (310) 451-7002; Fax: (310) 451-6915; Email: [email protected] Preface The U.S. Army is in the midst of a major restructuring and transfor- mation effort to prepare itself for the challenges of the 21st century. Its ultimate objective is to create a campaign-quality army with joint and expeditionary capabilities. As part of its transformation, the U.S. Army is fielding medium-armored forces, the Stryker brigade combat teams (SBCTs), to give the current force increased capability. Medium- armored forces are also central to the U.S. Army’s vision of the Future Force, with the Future Combat Systems–equipped brigade combat teams considered an important component of that force. This report presents a historical analysis of how medium-armored forces have performed across the range of military operations since World War I. Its purpose is to help inform U.S. Army decisions about the Future Force. This research was sponsored by the U.S. Army and conducted within the RAND Arroyo Center’s Strategy, Doctrine, and Resources Program. RAND Arroyo Center, part of the RAND Corporation, is a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the U.S. Army. Because this study was initiated prior to Fiscal Year 2002, there is no Project Unique Identification Code (PUIC) associated with this project. iii iv In the Middle of the Fight For more information on RAND Arroyo Center, contact the Director of Operations (telephone 310-393-0411, extension 6419; fax 310-451-6952; email [email protected]), or visit Arroyo’s Web site at http://www.rand.org/ard/. Contents Preface ............................................................................. iii Figure and Tables ................................................................ ix Summary .......................................................................... xi Acknowledgments .............................................................. xix Abbreviations .................................................................... xxi CHAPTER ONE Introduction ....................................................................... 1 The Army Future Force ............................................................ 1 The Past as Prologue ............................................................... 5 Monograph Objective and Parameters .......................................... 8 Tasks ............................................................................... 9 Definitions ........................................................................ 9 Methodology ....................................................................10 Cases ..............................................................................14 Monograph Organization ......................................................14 CHAPTER TWO Medium-Armored Forces in Operations at the High End of the Range of Military Operations .....................................................17 Armored Warfare in the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) ....................17 The Armored Forces ............................................................18 Employment .....................................................................19 Key Insights .................................................................... 23 U.S. Armored Forces Versus German Armored Forces in Western Europe During World War II (1944–1945) ....................................... 24 v vi In the Middle of the Fight The Armored Forces ........................................................... 24 Employment .................................................................... 28 Key Insights .................................................................... 40 U.S. Army Armored Cavalry and Mechanized Infantry in Vietnam (1965– 1972) .......................................................................... 42 The Armored Forces ........................................................... 44 Employment .....................................................................49 Key Insights .....................................................................51 Task Force Shepherd, 1st Marine Division, in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm (Southwest Asia, 1990–1991) .........................52 The Armored Forces ............................................................55 Employment .....................................................................55 Key Insights .....................................................................63 CHAPTER THREE Medium-Armored Forces in the Center of the Range of Military Operations ...................................................................65 Soviet Airborne Operations in Czechoslovakia (1968) .......................65 The Armored Forces ........................................................... 68 Employment .................................................................... 68 Key Insights .....................................................................70 South Africa in Angola (1975–1988) ...........................................71 The Armored Forces ............................................................73 Employment .....................................................................75 Key Insights .....................................................................82 Soviet Operations in Afghanistan (1979–1989) ...............................83 The Armored Forces ........................................................... 92 Employment .................................................................... 94 Key Insights .................................................................... 97 U.S. Forces in Operation Just Cause (Panama, 1989) ....................... 97 The Armored Forces .......................................................... 101 Employment ................................................................... 104 Key Insights ................................................................... 105 Russia in Chechnya (1994–2001) ............................................. 106 Chechnya I ..................................................................... 107 Chechnya II.................................................................... 114 Contents vii The Armored Forces .......................................................... 119 Employment ................................................................... 120 Key Insights ................................................................... 122 U.S. Stryker Brigade Combat Teams in Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003– 2005) ........................................................................ 123 The Stryker Brigades .......................................................... 124 Employment ................................................................... 128 Key Insights ................................................................... 130 CHAPTER FOUR Medium-Armored Forces in Operations at the Lower End of the Range of Military Operations .......................................... 131 The Rescue of Task Force Ranger (Somalia, 1993).......................... 131 The Armored Forces .......................................................... 134 Employment ................................................................... 135 Key Insights ................................................................... 136 Australia and New Zealand in East Timor (1999–2000) .................. 137 The Armored Forces .......................................................... 142 Employment ................................................................... 142 Key Insights ................................................................... 145 CHAPTER FIVE Conclusions ..................................................................... 147 What Unique Capabilities Have Medium-Armored Forces Brought to Past Conflicts, and Where Along the Spectrum of Operations Have They Been Most Valuable? ................................................ 147 How Have Medium-Armored Forces Performed in Complex Terrain in the Past? .................................................................. 150 What Advantages Has the Rapid-Deployment Capability of Medium- Armored Forces Provided to Operational Commanders in the Past? 151 Implications for the U.S. Army Future Force and the FCS ................ 152 Conceptual Choices Matter and Shape Initial Capabilities.............. 152 Medium Armor Can Be Disadvantaged Against Competent Heavy Forces and Vulnerable in Complex Terrain ........................... 154 viii In the Middle of the Fight Combined Arms and Force Quality Can Mitigate the Inherent Advantages of Heavy Armor ............................................ 155 Final Thoughts ................................................................ 155 APPENDIXES A. DOTMLPF, BOS, Characteristics of a Transformed Force, and Complex Terrain Synthesis for Case Studies ........................ 157 B. Individual Case Study Assessments of DOTMLPF, BOS, Characteristics of a Transformed Force, and Complex Terrain .. 173 C. Definitions ................................................................. 261 Bibliography .................................................................... 271 Index ............................................................................. 297