This paper examines the Anti-access threat the United States may face in 2035 and the challenges this threat poses to U.S. military operations. As potential enemies in the Pacific and Middle East expand more and more resources developing increasingly accurate and longer range ballistic and cruise missiles the viability of sustaining U.S. operations at bases within short striking distance of these potential enemies becomes more difficult, if not impossible. The situation is most acute in the Pacific where vast areas of open-ocean provide few basing options and both China and the Democratic People#65533;s Republic of Korea are leaders in ballistic missile development. Defending close forward bases either passively or actively may not be possible either due to cost or practicality. With U.S. forces, including naval forces, pushed further from potential enemy targets the need for air refueling capability will become even more critical than it is today. However, in 2035 U.S. air refueling capability may be less than it is today. Increasing flight distances and decreasing air refueling capability means that any Global Strike aircraft will need to have sufficient range to strike targets from distant bases without requiring any of the precious airborne fuel that will be critical to getting fighter type aircraft to their targets. The next air-breathing global strike platform will need an unrefueled combat range of at least 3000 nautical miles to overcome the growing Anti-access threat. Without a platform with sufficient range, the U.S. risks allowing sanctuary areas for enemies to place their highest value assets.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
