Shyu establishes task force to study how the U.S. military can 'regain operational dominance'

By Audrey Decker / February 14, 2023 at 9:32 AM

Pentagon research and engineering chief Heidi Shyu has established a Defense Science Board task force to study the weapon system concepts that will allow the U.S. to regain operational dominance and prevail with minimal cost if deterrence fails against an adversary.

Over the last decade, several countries have made investments to raise the cost of U.S. intervention, as in loss of life or loss of important assets, to “unacceptable levels,” according to a Jan. 31 memo that was publicly released on Feb. 13.

“The DSB, working through the Task Force, should identify effective weapon system concepts and operational concepts to rebalance intervention cost and benefit in order to regain the operational dominance that the United States Armed Forces achieved for the past 25 years,” Shyu writes.

Coined “the Task Force on Strategic Options,” the group’s main objective is to learn what will deter conflict, and if deterrence fails, what platforms or strategies will help the U.S. win with the lowest number of causalities, according to the memo.

“Areas of consideration may include advanced undersea assets and operational concepts, new uses of space assets, development of new countermeasures for electronic warfare, employment of cyber weapons and other areas the Task Force deems appropriate,” Shyu writes.

Within 30 days of the appointment of task force members, the study period will begin and not exceed 12 months in total, the memo states.

The task force will report its findings and recommendations back to Shyu.

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