The Future of Armor in an Anti-Access Area Denial Environment

What will be the form and function of the armored force in 2030? The purpose of this thesis was to assess the possible roles and changes to the organization of the United States main battle tank and its supporting organizations. The question was examined first within the context of the United States national strategy. Potential competitors of the United States are utilizing weapon systems that deny U.S. Armed Forces access to competitor territory and to the global commons, therefore the research delved into the current Anti-Access and Area Denial weapon platforms and strategies that the United States could face in a conflict. The history of the tank was examined to provide historical context to proposed recommendations. The research used a qualitative method that incorporated grounded theory for analysis as well as case study methodology in data collection. The current joint capabilities integration and development systems manual (2012) helped identify the categories to show potential gaps in each category. The categories used were doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership, personnel and facilities (DOTMLPF). The end results were general recommendations for changes to the United States main battle tank as well as recommendations within each of the DOTMLPF categories.