The Role of Land Power in the Future Global Security Environment

One of the major components of being a global superpower is having strong land forces. Armies control territory, and the forward presence of U.S. ground forces plays a critical role in establishing deterrence, underpinning the credibility of U.S. security commitments worldwide, and maintaining economic stability vital to the U.S. economy.

The evolving character of war, highlighted by the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine, rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific, renewed competition in Europe, and persistent instability in the Middle East, has intensified debate over the future role of land forces. Specifically, the assessment of global threats and how the United States addresses these threats could have major implications for the future size, shape, and missions of land forces as part of the joint force. That is why CSIS has launched a year-long study of the responsibilities, structure, and resourcing for U.S. soldiers and Marines as part of the joint force.

Building and sustaining effective land forces is a long-term endeavor. High-quality leadership, unit cohesion, and operational competence require decades of sustained investment in people, training, and professional development. Unlike systems that can be rapidly acquired or surged, land power depends on institutional depth and experience. Soldiers and officers cannot be certain of the nature of missions a decade in the future, but they need the breadth of training and maturity required to design winnable campaigns, integrate emerging weapons, and develop new concepts of operation. This requires sustained investment in people, equipment, and training to accomplish a unique military function—mobilization for an unforeseen challenge. Decisions made today about force structure, resourcing, and authorities will shape U.S. military effectiveness in the future.

Present and future U.S. soldiers and Marines face a series of questions and challenges as they prepare to safeguard U.S. national security interests. First, they must prepare to face an uncertain and evolving set of security threats that span armed non-state actors (e.g., Houthi forces in Yemen) to peer adversaries (e.g., China’s People’s Liberation Army). Furthermore, the U.S. land component must conduct its mission as part of the joint force, which is in turn adapting. In tandem, U.S. land forces must be optimized to build and sustain capable leaders, a process that takes time and commitment.

U.S. decisionmakers have several levers at their disposal to address these pressing challenges. First, they can fine-tune the structure of land forces across the active and reserve components, calibrating it to expected overseas stationing, the need for rapid forward deployments, and other factors. Along a similar vein, U.S. land forces have the option to cooperate with allied militaries, which in turn influences U.S. land forces’ size, posture, and resourcing. Finally, policymakers will need to consider levels of funding, as well as adjustments to authorities to address the future roles and responsibilities of U.S. land forces.

The Path Forward

U.S. defense policy is at a critical juncture that demands an independent, strategic assessment of U.S. land power. Our effort will integrate operational, institutional, and policy perspectives by publishing a series of white papers and a final report and hosting public events throughout the year. Our ultimate objective is to provide actionable insights for decisionmakers and contribute to an informed national debate about the future role of U.S. land forces in the joint force and the broader global security architecture. We very much look forward to engaging with military leaders, policymakers, elected officials, industry executives, subject matter experts, and the interested public over the course of this effort. Gaining these critical perspectives will be essential as we work to strengthen U.S. land power over the course of the coming decades. Please visit our study homepage to find out more about the project and—most importantly—provide your comments and suggestions about the future of U.S. land forces.

Dr. Jerry McGinn is the director of the Center for the Industrial Base and a senior fellow with the Defense and Security Department at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, D.C. Gen. Jack Keane (ret.) served as the 29th vice chief of staff of the United States Army from 1999 to 2003. Ryan D. McCarthy is a former U.S. army ranger and served as the U.S. secretary of the Army from 2019 to 2021.