US Army's heavy brigade shortfall amid rising challenges
The American army has too few brigades equipped with heavy equipment. As a result, insufficient units are ready for full-scale war, and their Russian and Chinese counterparts have an advantage in firepower, according to an analysis published by Defense One.
The Defense One service published a critical analysis regarding the state of American land forces. It was prepared by Richard D. Hooker, Jr, an analyst for the National Security Council, a West Point graduate, and a commander of one of the American brigades during the war in Iraq.
According to the practitioner's assessment, based on his combat experience, the American army in its current form has too many light units and too few armoured and mechanised forces. As Richard D. Hooker, Jr notes, out of the 31 American brigades, only 11 are heavy units, equipped with tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, and self-propelled artillery.
Another six American brigades are Stryker Brigade Combat Teams. Their name comes from the dominant vehicle in them.
The vehicle in question is the Stryker – a wheeled platform serving primarily as an infantry carrier (similar to the Polish Rosomak without a turret) and as a base for numerous specialised vehicles, from reconnaissance vehicles to fire support vehicles.
As Richard D. Hooker, Jr notes, these vehicles are lightly armoured, struggle in difficult terrain, and can be eliminated with handheld anti-tank weapons. Moreover, all the artillery of these brigades consists of towed howitzers: more vulnerable to enemy fire and requiring more time to set up and leave a position compared to their self-propelled counterparts.
The author of the analysis references experiences from exercises, stating that these units cannot survive encounters with armoured vehicles.
Too little firepower
The remaining 14 American brigades are light infantry formations – mobile and cost-effective, but with limited firepower. As an example, Richard D. Hooker, Jr points to their artillery – 105 mm towed howitzers. They are light and mobile, but, according to the analysis's author, they have a shorter range and effectiveness compared to Russian systems of 122 mm and 152 mm calibres.
Richard D. Hooker, Jr assesses that the increase in firepower for light units, promised by American decision-makers through various drones, "raises serious doubts," and optimising the army for Pacific operations is a mistake:
Advantage no longer exists
At the same time, the author points out that both Russian and Chinese counterparts have an advantage over American brigades in firepower, resulting from a greater number of artillery systems or anti-tank weapons.
Summarising his analysis, the author notes that the last high-intensity war with an enemy possessing many heavy units that the United States fought over 30 years ago in Iraq (Operation Desert Storm), where it had "overwhelming superiority in all domains, which no longer exists."
