May 8, 2020
The Army’s AimPoint Force Structure Initiative
Background
anti-access and area denial strategies, meant to separate the
The 2018 National Military Strategy describes how the U.S.
Joint Force physically and functionally and alliances
military is to defend the homeland and retain its
politically. Furthermore, near-peer competitors are capable
competitive advantage to deter competitors and defeat
of securing strategic objectives by means other than armed
adversaries, whether great power competitors like China
conflict with the United States and its allies. More
and Russia or other security challenges. It is a fundamental
importantly, the Army can no longer guarantee dominance
departure from other National Military Strategies post-
over a near-peer threat—an advantage that the United States
September 11 , which focused on counterinsurgency and
has held for decades. Unlike Air-Land Battle, MDO
defeating violent extremist organizations. In essence, the
addresses the notion that competition and conflict occur in
2018 National Military Strategy refocuses the Army from
multiple domains (land, air, sea, cyber, and space), and that
fighting counterinsurgencies and violent extremist
there will be multiple threats across the competition
organizations to countering and possibly confronting
continuum in the future operating environment. As the
Russian and Chinese military forces. The Army’s new
MDO concept continues to be refined and updated, it will
AimPoint initiative is intended to be the means to build the
likely drive Army modernization and force structure. The
force structure needed to implement this new focus.
Army aims to achieve a full MDO capability by 2035.
Previous Army Force
Conceptually, the Army, as an element of the Joint Force,
Structure Construct
plans to conduct MDO (not necessarily in every domain at
During the Cold War, the U.S. Army was primarily a
each moment), primarily by deterrence, in order to prevail
division-centric force whereby divisions, consisting of a
in competition. If deterrence fails, and if it becomes
mix of specialized brigades, battalions, and companies,
necessary, Army forces would penetrate and disable enemy
were the primary warfighting organization. Within the
anti-access and area denial (A2/AD) systems and, if
division, the commander controlled a variety of assets such
successful, exploit any resulting freedom of maneuver to
as artillery, engineers, and logistical units that could be
achieve strategic objectives and force a return to
assigned to subordinate infantry or armored brigades as the
competition on favorable terms.
tactical situation required. Divisions were part of corps,
which also had their own organic units such as artillery and
Major Aspects of AimPoint Force
engineers that the corps commander could allocate to
Structure Initiative
divisions to support operations.
The primary means by which the Army intends to build its
MDO capability is through what it calls the AimPoint Force
In the early 2000s, as the Army became committed to long-
Structure Initiative. According to the Army, the AimPoint
term counterinsurgency combat operations in Iraq and
Force being developed by the Army Futures Command’s
Afghanistan, Army units would rotate in and out of these
(AFC’s) Army Futures and Concepts Center is to be a
theaters on an annual basis. Based on observations of how
flexible force structure. While little change is expected at
these rotations affected soldiers and units, Army leadership
brigade level and below, the Army suggests major changes
determined that the division-centric force was not the best
will occur at higher echelons—division, corps, and theater
structure to support a rotational force.
command—that have primarily played a supporting role in
counterinsurgency operations such as in Iraq and
In September 2003, the U.S. Army began converting from
Afghanistan. Under MDO, higher field headquarters will
an organization centered on divisions (numbering from
now be required to take the lead in coordinating large-scale
10,000 to 18,000 soldiers) to a force based upon brigade
campaigns against well-armed nation-states such as Russia
combat teams (BCTs) of around 4,000 soldiers. This new
and China. The Army also notes that the AimPoint Force
brigade-centric force, known as the modular force, assigned
will be resource-informed, meaning it will be subject to
a number of division-level assets to the newly formed
budget constraints and political considerations. Because of
BCTs, thereby lessening the operational and tactical roles
the geographic distinctions between the European and Indo-
of the division.
Pacific theaters, individual higher-echelon AimPoint
formation force structure will likely differ by theater as
Multi-Domain Operations (MDO)
opposed to current one-size-fits-all units.
According to the Army, current conventional warfighting
doctrine is still largely based on the Air-Land Battle
Major Proposed Force
concept developed in 1981 to counter Warsaw Pact forces
Structure Initiatives
in Europe. As the name indicates, Air-Land Battle is
The following sections provide a description of some of
primarily based on operations in the air and land domains.
AimPoint’s major proposed force structure changes.
However, competitors now possess increasingly capable
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The Army’s AimPoint Force Structure Initiative
Division, Corps, and Theater Level
successfully developed and fielded, these systems would
The Army notes that over the past 20 to 30 years, the
either be deployed to existing units or new units would be
capacity to conduct campaigns at the division, corps, and
created to accommodate these new weapon systems.
theater level was “mortgaged” (i.e., assets and units at these
levels were assigned to BCTs). Under AimPoint,
Potential Issues for Congress
headquarters at these levels are being developed and
Potential issues for Congress include but not limited to the
existing ones modified to build back a campaign capability
following:
(i.e., adding additional staff, specialists, capabilities, and
units) to compete with near-peer adversaries and to employ
New Requirements for Headquarters and
information warfare and operate in the cyber and space
Specialized Units
domains.
While AimPoint is described as a flexible initiative, the
Army has noted that most of the change will occur above
As part of AimPoint, the Army announced on February 11,
BCT level. What are the new requirements for headquarters
2020, the activation of a fourth corps headquarters,
envisioned by the Army in terms of types and estimated
designated Fifth Corps (V Corps), which is to be located at
numbers of headquarters? In terms of specialized units,
Fort Knox, KY. The V Corps Headquarters is to consist of
apart from reestablishing V Corps and three currently
approximately 635 soldiers, of which approximately 200
planned MDTFs, what are some of the other types of
will support a rotational operational command post in
specialized units (e.g., artillery, missile, air and missile
Europe. The V Corps Headquarters is projected to be
defense, intelligence) that the Army envisions developing
operational by fall 2020.
under AimPoint ?
The Army also plans under AimPoint to develop an
Overseas Stationing of Units
unknown number of new Theater Fires Commands intended
The Army reportedly has stated that it “needs an enhanced
to coordinate long-range fires of Army missile and
posture forward in both INDOPACOM and in Europe—
extended-range artillery systems and units presently under
nothing like the 1980s, but larger than what we have now.”
development.
What are both the types and numbers of units by region
being developed under AimPoint that the Army plans to be
Multi-Domain Task Forces (MDTF)
forward-deployed? Will these deployments be rotational or
To facilitate the conduct of MDO, under AimPoint, the
permanent home-station deployments?
Army is currently creating three Multi-Domain Task Forces
(MDTF). Based on a Field Artillery (FA) brigade and
Estimated Costs
augmented with an intelligence, information operations,
The Army’s AimPoint is arguably an ambitious effort
cyber, electronic warfare and space (I2CEWS) detachment,
intended to be completed by 2035. What are the Army’s
the first MDTF was established as a pilot program in 2017
estimated costs in terms of personnel, equipment,
and assigned to U.S. Army Pacific Command, where it
operations and maintenance, and military construction
participated in a number of exercises and training events.
(MILCON) associated with this effort over this period?
MDTFs focus on penetrating an enemy environment,
employing assets that can counter enemy A2/AD
Adequacy of Global Command, Control,
capabilities and enemy network-focused targeting of U.S.
Communications, Computers, and Intelligence,
units.
Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (C4ISR)
MDO and AimPoint units such as MDTFs have been
In 2021, the Army plans to establish a second stand-alone
characterized as requiring linkage to national C4ISR, space,
MDTF in Europe that is to merge the 41st FA Brigade with
cyber, and information warfare assets, as well as the other
an I2CEWS element. In 2022, a third task force, which is
Services and allies. Given this dependency, will the planned
yet to be determined, would stand up in the Pacific. The
Global C4ISR Network be adequate to meet the needs of
Army envisions MDTFs to comprise about 500 personnel,
MDO and new and existing units designated for Europe and
including personnel from other services.
INDOPACOM?
Long-Range Artillery and Missiles
Applicability to other National Security Challenges
Also under the auspices of AFC and AimPoint, the Army is
As previously noted, MDO and AimPoint units and systems
developing long-range precision fires units and systems.
are intended to compete with and, if necessary, confront
Systems under development include a new Precision Strike
and defeat great power competitors Russia and China.
Missile, or PrSM, which will employ current launchers and
Some defense experts suggest that in light of the COVID-
is to be capable of achieving greater ranges than current
19 pandemic, the U.S national security construct as it stands
systems. The Army is also developing an Extended Range
could be in question and the Services could face
Cannon Artillery (ERCA) system. The ERCA is said to be
appreciable force structure and budgetary reductions.
an improvement to the current M109A7 Paladin self-
Given this potential shift in national security focus, how
propelled howitzer that provides indirect fires for BCTs and
applicable are MDO and the units being developed under
at the division-level. The Army is also reportedly in the
the auspices of AimPoint to other national security
early stages of developing and testing a Strategic, Long-
challenges including potential future pandemic situations?
Range Cannon to augment the ERCA. The Army’s goal for
the Strategic, Long-Range Cannon is to be able to
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
successfully engage targets out to 1,000 nautical miles. If
IF11542
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The Army’s AimPoint Force Structure Initiative


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