Some of these new programs focused on preparing for future ground wars, but many aimed at increasing the Army’s stake in operations to counter Chinese military expansion, where most of the Pentagon’s attention and money were quickly shifting. Among these were costly and controversial long-range precision missile programs, plans to design new helicopters (future vertical lift), and the resurrected focus on the Army’s fleet of watercraft.
Even as the Army invested billions in the development and procurement of these systems, however, the service struggled to clearly define — and sell Pentagon leadership on — its role in a possible war with China. One fundamental obstacle was the lack of military access for ground forces across the Indo-Pacific region. Outside of South Korea, Japan, and the Philippines, the Army found little support for expanding its military presence. Those countries that did welcome Army forces were less enthusiastic about hosting some of its new, advanced capabilities, including its long-range missiles, and its stockpiles of equipment and materiel. This left the Army with expensive systems it could not deploy forward or might not be able to use effectively in a war.