Through the Lens of Operational Art: Countering People's Republic of China (PRC) Aggression in a Limited Conflict using Innovative Ways and Cost- Effective Means to Offset PRC Anti-Access Area Denial (A2AD) Capabilities. How Should Pacific Command's (PACOM) Theater Campaign Plan Evolve in Light of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessment's (CSBA) Recent AirSea Battle Concept (ASBC) Proposal

摘要

Deliberately, but in error, the authors of AirSea Battle Concept (ASBC) did not define a specific desired end state to develop their plan to defeat People's Republic of China (PRC) aggression. Instead, the authors proposed a broad end state linked to a number of unnecessary and disadvantageous broad military objectives to keep the study as applicable to as many scenarios as possible. The predictable results from this construct were traditional obsolete and constrained ways to conduct the battle using virtually economically unconstrained traditional air and naval means. Commander, United States Pacific Command (CDRUSPACOM) should take heed of the author's accurate assessments of current warfighting imbalances in the theater, but begin planning by defining a clear end state with the most likely scenarios-- maintaining the status quo of the disputed islands of Taiwan, the Spratley Islands, and the Senkaku islands. From this end state, CDRUSPACOM can identify and abandon unnecessary lines of operation such as active Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) and mainland strikes using fighter aircraft, to free up resources for currently available technology which would enhance his ability to ensure a successful defense of the islands.