Joint Paths to the Future Force

The central study question for the Unified Quest 2004 wargame (UQ 04), cosponsored by Joint Forces Command and the United States Army, focused on identifying the concepts and capabilities required to counteract an adversary who, having lost most of his conventional capability, seeks victory through a combination of protracted, unconventional operations and use of WMD. The overarching purpose of UQ 04 was to explore concepts and capabilities that have come together to form joint operational concepts and — continuing a process begun in Unified Quest 2003 — to improve the definition of these joint and future force concepts and capabilities; to identify key issues, insights, and implications raised by them; and to address specific Unified Quest issues. This report provides both a description and an analysis of UQ 04. It identifies that wargame’s scenario, assumptions, central questions and objectives, study issues, and essential elements of analysis. It includes observations by RAND analysts who attended UQ 04 and their assessments of how well the wargame addressed the five study issue areas featured in the game: battlespace awareness; joint command and control; force application; force protection, and focused logistics. The report also includes recommendations and suggestions by the RAND analysts on ways to improve the JFCOM-TRADOC future warfare studies program.