Report on U.S. Military Power 2012 (7)

Chapter Two Military Strength and Force Deployment

As required by the new strategic guidance document, all U.S. armed services have made plans to amend their force size and structure. The U.S. Army plans to cut at least eight combat brigades, thus reducing its strength by 80,000 from 570,000 to 490,000 personnel. One Marine regiment command, five Marine battalions, one artillery battalion, four Marine aircraft groups, and one Marine logistics group will be shed, reducing the overall strength of the Marine Corps from 202,000 to 182,000 personnel. The U.S. Navy plans to decommission seven missile cruisers (six of them are capable of ballistic missile defense, and one is to be overhauled). The U.S. Air Force will develop a quality force, smaller and leaner but more capable. It plans to cut 9,900 personnel, including 3,900 in active service, 5,100 national guards, and 900 reservists. Six tactical squadrons and one training squadron will be shed; 286 aircraft will retire, including 123 combat fighters, 133 transport and refueling planes, and 30 reconnaissance and surveillance planes.

I. U.S. Military Strength

In 2012, the overall strength of the U.S. Armed Forces is 3,071,000 personnel, among which 1,410,000 are in AC, 859,000 in RC, and 852,000 as DoD civilian employees.

The overall strength of the Army is 1,421,000, among it 558,000 are in AC, accounting for 39.6% of its overall strength. The Army AC is organized into seven army group headquarters, four corps, 11 divisions, over 4,300 main battle tanks, over 25,000 APCs, about 5,000 guns of various types, and more than 4,200 aircraft (mainly helicopters); the Army RC has 561,000 personnel in total, organized into eight divisions, 19 operational and functional commands, 12 support commands, and 19 training commands; the total number of civilian employees is 302,000.

The overall strength of the Navy is 814,000. Among it, 519,000 are in AC, accounting for 36,8% of its total strength. The U.S. Navy is organized into the Pacific Fleet and Fleet Forces Command; the Marine Corps is organized into three marine divisions and is equipped with 298 warships (including 10 aircraft carriers, 22 missile cruisers, 62 missile destroyers, 23 missile frigates, 24 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, four nuclear-powered cruise missile submarines, 54 nuclear-powered assault submarines), 3,847 aircraft of various types (1,821 of them are combat aircraft), and 241 submarine-launched strategic missiles. The naval reserve component has 84,000 personnel and is organized into four reserve air wings, two navy supply support battalions, 12 navy cargo handling battalions, six naval reserve construction regiments, one Marine Corps reserve division, one MarineCorps reserve air wing, and one service support group. The U.S. Navy has 210,000 civilian employees.

The Air Force has a total strength of 729,000 personnel, 333,000 of which are in active service, accounting for 23,6% of its total strength. The active component of the Air Force is organized into 13 air forces and is equipped with various types of 3,934 aircraft (1,917 of which are operational aircraft), and 449 intercontinental ballistic missiles. The reserve component of the Air Force is composed of 33 wings and 14 groups. The U.S. Air Force has 182,000 civilian employees.

DoD has a civilian work force of 107,000 personnel.

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