A hollow force lacks the resources to provide
trained and ready forces, to support ongoing operations, and to
modernize. Today's military is not hollow, but it could become so
in a decade or less if funding for the military isn't adequate.
There are already signs that defense funding is lacking as services
like the Air Force and the National Guard are forced to make
difficult choices.
To prevent a hollow force in the
future, the government must focus on the right modernization
efforts, while continuing to meet current defense needs. Heritage
research has focused on identifying the threat of a hollow force
and determining the right strategies for defense spending and
modernization. In the long-term, federal spending will have to be
reformed to provide adequate funds for defense, and the shape of
our military must be transformed to reflect future threats.
Military Readiness and the National Guard: A Crisis in the
Making?
by James Jay Carafano, Ph.D.
WebMemo #1107
June 5, 2006
The term "hollow force" describes the
situation when military readiness declines because of a lack of
adequate funding. A hollow force lacks the resources to provide
trained and ready forces, to support ongoing operations, and to
modernize. In the past, when America's military has begun to
hollow, the strain showed first in the National Guard. The same
warning signs are here now. It will take a concerted effort from
Congress and the administration to address the
issue.
Avoiding
the Hollow Force: Modernizing for the Future
by James Jay Carafano, Ph.D.
WebMemo #1075
May 12, 2006
The period after the drawdown of U.S.
operations in Afghanistan and Iraq is not the time to decrease
defense spending. The military's modernization needs are far too
pressing now and in the future.
Shaping the 21st Century Role of the National Guard and
Reserves
by James Jay Carafano, Ph.D.
Testimony
May 4, 2006
The United States must prevent the hollow
force from recurring.The danger of returning to a hollow force is
real. Few would believe that the share of the U.S. economy
devoted to defense spending is actually projected to decrease,
but a new study by the Congressional Budget Office reveals that
this is in fact the case.
Avoiding
the Hollow Force: Maintaining a Trained and Ready Military
by James Jay Carafano, Ph.D., Alane
Kochems, and David Gentilli
WebMemo #1043
April 18, 2006
With mandatory spending in the U.S. budget
projected to increase significantly in the coming years, the armed
forces may well face a tightening budget. The concern at hand is
future defense funding and whether that funding will be adequate to
prevent the return of the hollow force.
More
Signs of a Future Hollow Force? The Air Force Cuts a Corner
by James Jay Carafano, Ph.D.
WebMemo #1039
April 18, 2006
A recent Air Force decision to terminate the
alternative engine program for its Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)
raises questions regarding defense budget priorities. Congress
needs to recognize the warning signs of trouble ahead, reverse some
of the department's worst decisions, and address the larger federal
spending issues that are forcing the armed services to make poor
choices.
A Defense Budget Strategy for Winning the Long War
by Baker Spring
Backgrounder #1918
March 2, 2006
Congress needs to recognize that the defense
budget faces internal pressures that, if not remedied, could
undermine the effective prosecution of the war over the long term.
Funding demands for manpower and ongoing operations are
weakening the military's ability to arm itself with the new weapons
that sustain its position as the world's best fighting force.
Further, the appeal of researching and developing new weapons
is starting to overwhelm the process of actually fielding
them.
First
Echoes of a Hollow Force? Air Force Choices Make Little
Sense
by James Jay Carafano, Ph.D.
WebMemo #986
February 3, 2006
When the services must choose between equally
important and vital priorities so that they can pay the bills, the
nation is not spending enough on defense. When the services must
commit to spending a lot of money in the long run so that they can
save a little bit today, the nation is not spending enough on
defense. The administration and Congress must provide defense
budgets adequate to meet all critical needs and stop forcing the
services to make counterproductive decisions..
Congress
Needs To Focus on the Big Picture in Defense Acquisition
Reform
by Baker Spring
WebMemo #984
February 2, 2006
Cutting the modernization budget, something
encouraged by Congress's current narrow approach to reform, could
actually exacerbate the acquisition system's biggest problems-high
unit costs for weapons and equipment and diminished competition in
the defense industry due to consolidation. Rather, Congress should
increase the modernization budget, which will help reduce unit
costs for expensive systems and boost competition among defense
contractors.
The
Hollow Force: Background and Issues
by James Jay Carafano, Ph.D., Alane
Kochems, JD, MSLS, and David D. Gentilli
WebMemo #972
January 27, 2006
"Hollow force" is a term that observers use to
describe the United States' Armed Forces when military readiness
declines and the services lack the resources to provide trained and
ready forces, support ongoing operations, and modernize. It was
first used after the Vietnam War. The concern today is whether
defense funding for the future will be adequate to prevent the
return of the hollow force.
Defense
Priorities for the Next Four Years
by Jack Spencer, James Jay Carafano, Ph.D.,
and Baker Spring
Executive Memorandum #953
January 11, 2005
The new Administration should continue to
transform the military by developing the right set of skills and
capabilities to meet the security threats of the 21st century,
while retaining robust force levels and adequate funding for the
military.
The
Army Goes Rolling Along: New Service Transformation Agenda Suggests
Promise and Problems
by James Jay Carafano, Ph.D.
Backgrounder #1729
February 23, 2004
Ensuring that the service is prepared to
support a protracted war against terrorism, however, requires
further changes in the Army's agenda. Initiatives should be more
fiscally prudent, preserve combat readiness, and promote further
transformation. The Army's next steps should be taken in concert
with the other services, the Department of Defense, and
Congress.
Focusing Defense Resources to Meet National Security
Requirements
by Jack Spencer
Backgrounder #1638
March 21, 2003
While it is true that overall defense spending
must increase significantly to ensure that the United States is
prepared to defend itself today and into the future, the reality is
that America's military needs a greater capability now. By making
smart investments and freeing wasted resources, the U.S. armed
forces can increase their capability in the near term and be better
prepared to fight and win America's wars.
Guidelines for Modernizing America's Armed Forces
by Jack Spencer
Backgrounder #1422
March 28, 2001
The Bush Administration must demand that
significant investments are made, both in modernizing today's force
by procuring evolutionary systems to handle near-term security
risks and in the research, development, and acquisition of
revolutionary systems that will enable America to maintain its
superpower status into the future.