Department of the Army Historical Summary: FY 1979

13.

Conclusion

During fiscal year 1979, the Army was, to a very large extent, an Army deployed. American soldiers stood side by side with men and women of the other services and allied forces, opposite a potential adversary possessing the most massive accumulation of sophisticated weaponry ever assembled during peacetime. Reinforcing units in the United States have prepositioned major critical items of equipment, supplies, and munitions in overseas areas. Completing this total Army effort to provide for the security of the country, the civilian work force operating maintenance and supply depots in the United States responded directly to requirements of overseas commanders.

In past years, the United States has relied on technological superiority to offset the numerical advantage of Warsaw Pact forces, but at the close of fiscal year 1979, there was a technological gap as well. In the coming year, new families of weapons, including the XM1 tank, the infantry and cavalry fighting vehicle, the Stinger, Roland, and Patriot missiles will be introduced to the field, and work will continue on other projects, including the advanced attack helicopter, modernization of theater nuclear forces, and improvements in chemical defense. But even under the best of circumstances, it will be the mid-1980's before the Army can expect to fully field a new generation of weapons that will be on a par with Warsaw Pact holdings. In the meantime, the Army will be even more dependent upon the ingenuity and resourcefulness of its soldiers and junior leaders.

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