The U.S. Army Infantry Division (Light) will transform the American approach to the use of force in Third World conflicts during the 1990s. As the mainstay of strategic U.S. conventional reserves, the Infantry Division (Light) was designed to deter and fight low-to mid-intensity wars effectively at a tolerable cost and risk. Theoretically sound, the current Infantry Division (Light) may not be able to accomplish its assigned missions. This study critically examines the impact of threat, military strategy and its revised missions, and emerging technologies on the equipment requirements for the Infantry Division (Light) in the 1990s. Besides the predictive use of 'expert' judgments from certain definitive works on infantry, the study also uses an historical approach to compare and contrast contemporary infantry equipment requirements. The resulting synthesis provides valuable insights into the future battlefields, as well as the roles and equipment for light infantry forces. The study concludes with a recommended list of equipment changes which could make an "order-of-magnitude" difference in the overall performance of the Infantry Division (Light).

ADA 172186 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.)