Report on U.S. Military Power 2012 (4)

II. Specifying Ten Primary Missions of the U.S. Armed Forces

“After a decade of counter-terror war, the United States is at a strategic turning point.” The U.S. Armed Forces are in the transitional period of military transformation, and “it is shifting from focusing on fighting and winning the current war on terror to preparing for future challenges.” For capability development and resource allocation, the strategic guidance document specifies ten primary missions of the U.S. Armed Forces:

First, to conduct counter terrorism and irregular warfare. As the U.S. draws down in Afghanistan and concludes the war on terror, it will continue with global counter terrorism efforts aiming at disrupting, dismantling, and defeating Al Qaeda and its affiliates. The U.S. efforts will be characterized by both direct involvement and security assistance, employing irregular operationalcapabilities and other means of national power.

Second, to deter and defeat aggression. As a nation with important interests in multiple regions, U.S. forces must be capable of deterring and defeating aggression in one region when its forces are committed to a large-scale joint operation elsewhere.

Third, to project power despite anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) challenges. The strategic guidance document maintains that China and Iran will continue to pursue asymmetric means such as cyber, electronic and missile warfare to counter U.S. power projection capabilities and freedom of activity. Accordingly, the U.S. military is required to ensure its ability to operate effectively in A2/AD environments by implementing the Joint Operational Access Concept.

Fourth, to counter Weapons of Mass Destruction(WMD). DoD will enhance its cooperation with other government agencies for the implementation of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program to improve its capabilities to detect, protect against, and respond to WMD use, so that proliferation and employment of WMD could be prevented.

Fifth, to operate effectively in cyberspace and space. Both cyberspace and space are new domains of military contest and therefore critical to the U.S. military superiority. The strategic guidance document points out that as U.S. networks and space assets and their supporting infrastructure face a range of threats that may take advantage of, disrupt, or destroy assets, their protective capabilities must be improved.

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