Crisis stability and long-range strike : a comparative analysis of fighters, bombers, and missiles / Forrest E. Morgan.

Includes bibliographical references.

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To effectively manage an international crisis, the United States must balance its threats with restraint. It must posture forces in ways that deter aggression without implying that an attack is imminent, while limiting its own vulnerability to surprise attack. A RAND study sought to identify which long-range strike assets-strike fighters, bombers, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles-offer capabilities most conducive to stabilizing such crises.

Cover; Title Page; Copyright; Preface; Contents; Figures; Tables; Summary; Acknowledgments; Abbreviations; Chapter One: Introduction; Crisis Stability and the Rise and Decline of Crisis Management; Stability Concerns in the Emerging Strategic Environment; The Role of Force Structure and the Purpose of This Study; Organization and Approach; Chapter Two: Crisis Management, Crisis Stability, and Force Structure; The Nature of International Crises; The Dynamics of International Crisis: Two Illustrative Cases; The Cuban Missile Crisis; The July Crisis; Crisis Management and Crisis Stability.

The Fundamentals of Crisis Management and Crisis StabilityThe Operational Principles of Crisis Management; The Concept of Structural Stability; The Importance of Force Structure; Attributes Conducive to Structural Stability; Attributes That Provide Tools for Crisis Management; Conclusion; Chapter Three: Attributes of Alternative Strike Systems; Methods Used in the Analysis of Alternative Strike Systems; Findings from the Analysis of Alternative Strike Systems; The Dangers of Close-Based Short-Range Strike; Non-Stealthy Bombers with Standoff Weapons.

The Effects of Moving Short-Range Strike Fighters BackThe Effects of Penetrating Bombers; Airpower Tools for Crisis Management; The Role of Conventional Missiles in Crisis Management; Implications for Crisis Management and Structural Stability; Chapter Four: Strike Systems and Crisis Stability in History; Case Selection and Analytical Approach; Findings of the Case Study Analysis; National Leaders Rely on Aircraft to Stabilize International Crises; Long-Range Strike Aircraft Impose a Powerful Stabilizing Force; Are States That Brandish Bombers Successful?

Additional Observations and the Refinement of TheoryChapter Five: Building a Force for Crisis Management and Structural Stability; The Strengths and Weaknesses of Alternative Strike Assets; Aircraft Are Excellent Tools of Crisis Management; Ballistic Missiles Have Little to Offer for Crisis Management; Cruise Missiles Are Important Enablers of Other Crisis Management Tools; Aircraft Are Potent Weapons of Deterrence, but Old Approaches May Destabilize Future Crises; Penetrating Bombers Offer Potency Without Excessive Vulnerability; Putting the Findings into Perspective; Appendixes.

A. Two Illustrative Cases of Crisis ManagementB. Analyzing the Attributes of Alternative Strike Systems; C. Case-Study Methodology and Data; Bibliography.

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