The Role of Special Operations Forces in Operations Against Theater Missiles
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Authors
Riley, Craig Allen
Subjects
Theater missiles
Special Operations Forces
Special Operations Forces
Advisors
Wirtz, James J.
Date of Issue
1995-12
Date
December 1995
Publisher
Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School
Language
Abstract
The U.S. military has never been able to prevent theater missiles (TMs) from being launched at U.S.
and Allied or Coalition forces and citizens. Post-war analysis of interdiction efforts during World War II
and the Persian Gulf War could not identify a single instance where either a German V weapon or an Iraqi
SCUD missile was destroyed before launch. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the best estimate that the
Air Force could provide the National Command Authority was that ninety percent of the Soviet missiles in
Cuba would be destroyed by an airstrike.
To correct this deficiency, the military developed joint theater missile defense (JTMD) doctrine. This
doctrine attempts to integrate synergistically all U.S. military assets and capabilities. However, this
doctrine does not fully integrate Special Operations Forces (SOF) into attack operations against TMs.
Additionally, the joint tactics, techniques, and procedures (JTTPs) needed to implement this doctrine have
not been developed. The integration of SOF's capability to conduct pre-strike and post-strike
reconnaissance, critical material recovery operations and target acquisition tasks can immediately improve
JTMD capabilities.
Type
Thesis
Description
Series/Report No
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Format
187 p.
Citation
Distribution Statement
Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
Rights
This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.