Extended-Range Smart Conventional Weapon Systems: A Paper by the Standoff Weapons Panel, Offense-Defense Working Group, Submitted to the Commission on Integrated Long-Term Strategy

摘要

The paper summarizes the promise of extended-range, ground-attack weapon systems, identifies obstacles to the realization of this promise, and offers several recommendations. Although these weapon systems can be consequential in low intensity and Third World conflicts, the emphasis here is on their contributions to stop, and thus help deter, attacks by the Soviet Union against the U.S. and its allies. These contributions eventually may be considerable; however, smart weapons, extended-range or otherwise, are not a high-technology panacea to conventional force deficiencies.