Concept for Operations in a Nuclear Environment

Date of report: June 8th, 1982
Nautilus publication date: October 17, 2013

The USSR increased its military abilities throughout the Cold War instituting a constant threat to U.S. supremacy in the Asia-Pacific region and on the international scene. American strategy towards the Soviets stressed deterrence, but officials also stressed the importance of military readiness in the face of attack. The concept of full nuclear war was still being studied and adjustments to fighting tactics were constantly updated to scientific findings about what a nuclear war may look like.

This report provides a concept for the conduct of U.S. Army military operations in a nuclear environment. The report discusses the operational environment, limitations, operational fundamentals, operational concept, survivability, and functional areas.

“After all, places of strength in the enemy’s array of forces only until nuclear strikes are delivered against them. Identified, distant enemy weaknesses or vulnerabilities are exploited by ground and air delivered fires — nuclear, nonnuclear or combinations thereof — to the extent permitted by available resources and to the degree sought by the objectives of delay, denial disruption or destruction.” (p 16-17)

This report was released to the Nautilus Institute under the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

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