increased spring winds, resulting in increased dust storm activity. This increased dust storm activity, particularly in a region vital to US national security interests, has serious negative repercussions both on personnel and on equipment. Increased temperatures in general are hard on machinery, and may render installed cooling systems inadequate. Likewise, fatigue becomes a greater issue for the soldier as temperatures increase. Even things such as low observable materials are negatively impacted by the increased humidity, precipitation and airborne particulates that accompany climate change. Sensors, likewise, are impacted by climate change as increased temperatures, humidities and atmospheric particulates all impact performance and maximum sensor ranges. Increased sensor assets may be required to survey the given area over a given tome because of reduced sensor ranges or resolutions. Operational Tempo / DoD Wide Impacts In a climate changing world, US military operations will only increase. There will be greater demands placed on DoD to respond to climate change based humanitarian crises. Missions to foster regional stability will become needed even more as tensions rise in regions poorly equipped to cope with the stresses imposed by climate change. New missions will be introduced such as patrolling / protecting the arctic and its natural resources as sea ice extent continues to decline (see Figure 5). Figure 5. Arctic sea ice coverage now and future [6]. Arctic shipping and resource exploration and development will result in new missions for the DoD. Additionally, there will be additional demands on the DoD budget as the US shifts to (initially at least) more expensive alternative fuels. There will be the burden of external (political or finacial) pressure on the DoD to reduce the size of its carbon footprint. While efforts such as efficiency initiatives, or installation of alternative energy productions sites are laudable, they detract from the primary DoD mission. Finally, climate change may force the early retirement of platforms or systems incapable of operation in a changing climate or too dependent on traditional fuels. This will all come at a time where there will be increased demands on the federal budget. The federal budget, already in record deficit territory will be tapped for purposes to deal with climate change. Natural disasters at home, such as severe hurricane landfalls, or severe drought in the continental south west, driven by climate change, will require federal dollars for recovery and / or mitigation.
increased spring winds, resulting in increased dust storm activity. This increased dust storm activity, particularly in a region vital to US national security interests, has serious negative repercussions both on personnel and on equipment. Increased temperatures in general are hard on machinery, and may render installed cooling systems inadequate. Likewise, fatigue becomes a greater issue for the soldier as temperatures increase. Even things such as low observable materials are negatively impacted by the increased humidity, precipitation and airborne particulates that accompany climate change. Sensors, likewise, are impacted by climate change as increased temperatures, humidities and atmospheric particulates all impact performance and maximum sensor ranges. Increased sensor assets may be required to survey the given area over a given tome because of reduced sensor ranges or resolutions. Operational Tempo / DoD Wide Impacts In a climate changing world, US military operations will only increase. There will be greater demands placed on DoD to respond to climate change based humanitarian crises. Missions to foster regional stability will become needed even more as tensions rise in regions poorly equipped to cope with the stresses imposed by climate change. New missions will be introduced such as patrolling / protecting the arctic and its natural resources as sea ice extent continues to decline (see Figure 5). Figure 5. Arctic sea ice coverage now and future [6]. Arctic shipping and resource exploration and development will result in new missions for the DoD. Additionally, there will be additional demands on the DoD budget as the US shifts to (initially at least) more expensive alternative fuels. There will be the burden of external (political or finacial) pressure on the DoD to reduce the size of its carbon footprint. While efforts such as efficiency initiatives, or installation of alternative energy productions sites are laudable, they detract from the primary DoD mission. Finally, climate change may force the early retirement of platforms or systems incapable of operation in a changing climate or too dependent on traditional fuels. This will all come at a time where there will be increased demands on the federal budget. The federal budget, already in record deficit territory will be tapped for purposes to deal with climate change. Natural disasters at home, such as severe hurricane landfalls, or severe drought in the continental south west, driven by climate change, will require federal dollars for recovery and / or mitigation.
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