This project examines the military ramifications of the emerging revolution in military affairs and the changing strategic environment. Assessing two strategic approaches, Joint Vision 2010 (evolutionary force design) and a rising advocacy of precision strike (revolutionary force design), in the future beyond 2010, this project seeks to identify the best path to future strategic military dominance and to explore related changes in service roles, functions, missions, and structure. Using an interest-based strategic approach to force modernization, this study describes the future environment beyond 2010 and assesses the two forces within that environment, completing several tasks in the process: (1) describing the future and identifying probable conflict points and competitors; (2) modeling the two strategic approaches; (3) assessing these approaches' utility against probable competitors; and (4) examining the implications of the assessment outcomes. This thesis concludes that an evolutionary approach based on a variation of Joint Vision 2010 concepts and forces provides the more useful and decisive military capability as compared to a revolutionary, precision strike, stand-off approach to warfare. Organizational, doctrinal, and technological changes, incorporating unique service capabilities, are necessary to create a balanced, functionally based force that is rapidly deployable, decisively mobile, and dominant in peace and war.

ADA 331733 Approved for public release; Distribution is unlimited. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student-authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College or any other governmental agency. (References to these studies should include the foregoing statement.)