ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

Enhancing the U.S. military’s posture in Europe could better deter Russian aggression by showing resolve and reducing Russian advantages, according to a new report from the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.

Placing U.S. troops closer to potential Russian objectives “could undermine Russia’s confidence in its theory of victory and give Moscow significant pause when contemplating a conventional attack on any NATO member state,” says the report, “Strengthening the Defense of NATO’s Eastern Frontier.”

Evolving Russian capabilities threaten to erode the U.S. military’s competitive advantage even as it faces growing threats in the U.S. European Command area of responsibility, the top U.S. commander in the region said.

“The threats facing U.S. interest in the EUCOM area of responsibility, which includes Israel, are real and growing,” Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, commander of EUCOM and Supreme Allied Commander Europe, told the Senate Armed Services Committee. “They are complex, transregional, all-domain and multifunctional.”

Units are gearing up for winter and spring deployments to replace other units in Europe, Afghanistan, Iraq and Kuwait as part of a regular rotation of forces in support of ongoing missions.

Two 1st Infantry Division units from Fort Riley, Kan., will deploy in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve in Europe and one division unit will deploy to Afghanistan in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel.

Outgunning America’s adversaries in the Pacific and Europe will require investment in long-range precision fires and a new joint concept of operation with seamless communications and authorities, the commander of U.S. Army Pacific said.

The Army this week announced deployments for several units this spring and summer, including the first deployment of the new 1st Security Force Assistance Brigade.

Soldiers with the 1st SFAB out of Fort Benning, Ga., will deploy this spring to provide training and advising assistance to Afghan National Security Forces. The specialized unit is the first of its kind in the Army and the spring deployment will be its first. The second SFAB unit is being created at Fort Bragg, N.C., but has not received deployment orders.

A key defense analyst is calling for a big boost for the Army, sending more troops to Europe and making major upgrades in weapons and systems.

For NATO to deter any possibility of further aggression by Russia, it must demonstrate true “land power dominance,” and the alliance is working to achieve that by reversing a decade of cuts in defense budgets and military forces, a multinational panel of army officers said.

Gaining credible land power dominance could not only prevent an open attack, but also could deter Russia from more subtle aggression through asymmetrical actions, or what has become known as hybrid warfare, the officers said during a forum at this week’s Association of the U.S. Army Meeting and Exposition.

A contingent of Ukrainian representatives used the venue of this week’s Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition to share lessons learned from what they described as “hybrid warfare experiences” with Russia.

Through an interpreter, Roman Romanov, director general of state concern UkrOboronProm (Ukrainian Defence Industry) welcomed the briefing audience, noting that 2017 marked the organization’s first participation in the AUSA exhibition and characterizing Ukraine as “a reliable partner” with industry.

The motivation for large-scale military exercises in Europe has changed in the past year from assurance to deterrence in response to Russian posturing.

I would prefer an aviation brigade that lived in Europe versus rotational,” said Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, citing the advantages of both a permanent aviation brigade