Mountain and Cold Weather Warfighting: Critical Capability for the 21st Century
This monograph posits that military operations in high mountains or intense cold require forces with specialized organization, training, and equipment. The overlap in physical characteristics of mountain and cold weather environments leads to an overlap in the capabilities required of military force...
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ftdtic:ADA485557 2023-05-15T15:04:49+02:00 Mountain and Cold Weather Warfighting: Critical Capability for the 21st Century Pierce, Scott W. ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COLL FORT LEAVENWORTH KS SCHOOL OF ADVANCED MILITARY STUDIES 2008-05-22 text/html http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA485557 http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA485557 en eng http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA485557 Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. DTIC Meteorology Geography Snow Ice and Permafrost Military Operations Strategy and Tactics *MOUNTAINS *COLD REGIONS *MILITARY CAPABILITIES *MILITARY FORCES(UNITED STATES) *MILITARY REQUIREMENTS *COLD WEATHER *MILITARY OPERATIONS COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEMS HIGH ALTITUDE LOGISTICS MILITARY TRAINING FIREPOWER IRAN ARCTIC REGIONS FINLAND SOUTH ASIA CASE STUDIES INTELLIGENCE MOBILITY USSR PAKISTAN CENTRAL ASIA INDIA *COLD WEATHER OPERATIONS *MOUNTAIN OPERATIONS MOUNTAINOUS AREAS MOUNTAIN WARFARE SOVIET-FINNISH WAR WINTER WAR SUOMUSSALMI CAMPAIGN KARGIL CAMPAIGN JAMMU AND KASHMIR SKILL SETS FORCE PROTECTION CAUCASUS REGION ANDES MOUNTAINS Text 2008 ftdtic 2016-02-22T16:20:47Z This monograph posits that military operations in high mountains or intense cold require forces with specialized organization, training, and equipment. The overlap in physical characteristics of mountain and cold weather environments leads to an overlap in the capabilities required of military forces who are able to operate optimally in these regions. The author describes the characteristics of military operations in mountains and cold weather (MCW), and the effects of the MCW environment on each of six warfighting functions. To illustrate the effects of the MCW environment on military operations, the author presents case studies of the cold weather Suomussalmi campaign, which occurred during the Soviet-Finnish Winter War, and the high mountain Kargil campaign, which occurred in the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir. The latter was one of many bloody confrontations between India and Pakistan. The author also describes those regions that are characterized by high mountains or cold climates that hold strategic importance for the United States. These regions are Central Asia, South Asia, the Caucasus, Iran, the Andes, and the Arctic. The author then catalogs current U.S. military MCW warfighting (MCWW) capabilities, concluding that they are insufficient. Recognizing that the development of a dedicated specialized MCW force is an inefficient and unrealistic goal for the U.S. military, the author recommends a "hedging strategy" to provide a minimally acceptable "off-the-shelf" capability to support U.S. regional combatant commanders. This hedging strategy includes the designation of a Department of Defense executive agent; creation of a high-level programs office to direct and coordinate doctrine, training, and procurement; and the establishment of modern training centers. Finally, the author advocates organizing, training, and equipping specialized units who are designed to provide general purpose forces with MCW-specific expertise and equipment. Text Arctic Ice permafrost Defense Technical Information Center: DTIC Technical Reports database Arctic |
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Open Polar |
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Defense Technical Information Center: DTIC Technical Reports database |
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ftdtic |
language |
English |
topic |
Meteorology Geography Snow Ice and Permafrost Military Operations Strategy and Tactics *MOUNTAINS *COLD REGIONS *MILITARY CAPABILITIES *MILITARY FORCES(UNITED STATES) *MILITARY REQUIREMENTS *COLD WEATHER *MILITARY OPERATIONS COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEMS HIGH ALTITUDE LOGISTICS MILITARY TRAINING FIREPOWER IRAN ARCTIC REGIONS FINLAND SOUTH ASIA CASE STUDIES INTELLIGENCE MOBILITY USSR PAKISTAN CENTRAL ASIA INDIA *COLD WEATHER OPERATIONS *MOUNTAIN OPERATIONS MOUNTAINOUS AREAS MOUNTAIN WARFARE SOVIET-FINNISH WAR WINTER WAR SUOMUSSALMI CAMPAIGN KARGIL CAMPAIGN JAMMU AND KASHMIR SKILL SETS FORCE PROTECTION CAUCASUS REGION ANDES MOUNTAINS |
spellingShingle |
Meteorology Geography Snow Ice and Permafrost Military Operations Strategy and Tactics *MOUNTAINS *COLD REGIONS *MILITARY CAPABILITIES *MILITARY FORCES(UNITED STATES) *MILITARY REQUIREMENTS *COLD WEATHER *MILITARY OPERATIONS COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEMS HIGH ALTITUDE LOGISTICS MILITARY TRAINING FIREPOWER IRAN ARCTIC REGIONS FINLAND SOUTH ASIA CASE STUDIES INTELLIGENCE MOBILITY USSR PAKISTAN CENTRAL ASIA INDIA *COLD WEATHER OPERATIONS *MOUNTAIN OPERATIONS MOUNTAINOUS AREAS MOUNTAIN WARFARE SOVIET-FINNISH WAR WINTER WAR SUOMUSSALMI CAMPAIGN KARGIL CAMPAIGN JAMMU AND KASHMIR SKILL SETS FORCE PROTECTION CAUCASUS REGION ANDES MOUNTAINS Pierce, Scott W. Mountain and Cold Weather Warfighting: Critical Capability for the 21st Century |
topic_facet |
Meteorology Geography Snow Ice and Permafrost Military Operations Strategy and Tactics *MOUNTAINS *COLD REGIONS *MILITARY CAPABILITIES *MILITARY FORCES(UNITED STATES) *MILITARY REQUIREMENTS *COLD WEATHER *MILITARY OPERATIONS COMMAND AND CONTROL SYSTEMS HIGH ALTITUDE LOGISTICS MILITARY TRAINING FIREPOWER IRAN ARCTIC REGIONS FINLAND SOUTH ASIA CASE STUDIES INTELLIGENCE MOBILITY USSR PAKISTAN CENTRAL ASIA INDIA *COLD WEATHER OPERATIONS *MOUNTAIN OPERATIONS MOUNTAINOUS AREAS MOUNTAIN WARFARE SOVIET-FINNISH WAR WINTER WAR SUOMUSSALMI CAMPAIGN KARGIL CAMPAIGN JAMMU AND KASHMIR SKILL SETS FORCE PROTECTION CAUCASUS REGION ANDES MOUNTAINS |
description |
This monograph posits that military operations in high mountains or intense cold require forces with specialized organization, training, and equipment. The overlap in physical characteristics of mountain and cold weather environments leads to an overlap in the capabilities required of military forces who are able to operate optimally in these regions. The author describes the characteristics of military operations in mountains and cold weather (MCW), and the effects of the MCW environment on each of six warfighting functions. To illustrate the effects of the MCW environment on military operations, the author presents case studies of the cold weather Suomussalmi campaign, which occurred during the Soviet-Finnish Winter War, and the high mountain Kargil campaign, which occurred in the disputed state of Jammu and Kashmir. The latter was one of many bloody confrontations between India and Pakistan. The author also describes those regions that are characterized by high mountains or cold climates that hold strategic importance for the United States. These regions are Central Asia, South Asia, the Caucasus, Iran, the Andes, and the Arctic. The author then catalogs current U.S. military MCW warfighting (MCWW) capabilities, concluding that they are insufficient. Recognizing that the development of a dedicated specialized MCW force is an inefficient and unrealistic goal for the U.S. military, the author recommends a "hedging strategy" to provide a minimally acceptable "off-the-shelf" capability to support U.S. regional combatant commanders. This hedging strategy includes the designation of a Department of Defense executive agent; creation of a high-level programs office to direct and coordinate doctrine, training, and procurement; and the establishment of modern training centers. Finally, the author advocates organizing, training, and equipping specialized units who are designed to provide general purpose forces with MCW-specific expertise and equipment. |
author2 |
ARMY COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COLL FORT LEAVENWORTH KS SCHOOL OF ADVANCED MILITARY STUDIES |
format |
Text |
author |
Pierce, Scott W. |
author_facet |
Pierce, Scott W. |
author_sort |
Pierce, Scott W. |
title |
Mountain and Cold Weather Warfighting: Critical Capability for the 21st Century |
title_short |
Mountain and Cold Weather Warfighting: Critical Capability for the 21st Century |
title_full |
Mountain and Cold Weather Warfighting: Critical Capability for the 21st Century |
title_fullStr |
Mountain and Cold Weather Warfighting: Critical Capability for the 21st Century |
title_full_unstemmed |
Mountain and Cold Weather Warfighting: Critical Capability for the 21st Century |
title_sort |
mountain and cold weather warfighting: critical capability for the 21st century |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA485557 http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA485557 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic Ice permafrost |
genre_facet |
Arctic Ice permafrost |
op_source |
DTIC |
op_relation |
http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA485557 |
op_rights |
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. |
_version_ |
1766336548703305728 |