Photo By Master Sgt. Seth Barham | The Multi-Domain Resiliency Zone (MDRZ) concept proposes a framework for the...... read more read more
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Story by: Christian Baker, U.S. Army North
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas - Rapidly emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, quantum computing and directed
energy are creating new capabilities and unprecedented performance on the battlefield,
affecting the speed and character of conflict. These technological advancements embolden
adversaries to challenge the current world order, placing the American homeland at risk. The
Army must be prepared to leverage these technologies and defend against novel capabilities in
the homeland as well as in forward theater.
“The rapid pace of change in the strategic environment, to include advancing kinetic and non-
kinetic threats and the increasing exploitation of the information space, give reason to believe
that successful defense of the homeland tomorrow requires new approaches, technologies, and
perspectives,” said Gen. Gregory Guillot, Commanding General of United States Northern
Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, in a statement to the House
Armed Services Committee earlier this year.
The changing threat environment and potential impacts of nascent technologies led U.S. Army
North, with the support of the Deputy Undersecretary of the Army, to initiate the Future of
Homeland Defense (FHD) Project. This yearlong study develops a broader understanding of the
challenges, threats and opportunities created by unprecedented technological developments.
The Future of Homeland Defense Project is also supported by partners like Army Futures
Command, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
as well as experts across private industry and academia. This broad expertise across disciplines
enables the project team to explore the potential capabilities and shortfalls of emerging
technologies and their applications for homeland defense. Building on these insights, the team
is developing recommendations for the Army to prepare for the future homeland defense
environment, such as the Multi-Domain Resiliency Zone (MDRZ) Concept.
MDRZs create modular, layered, defense-in-depth for key defense critical infrastructure, a
strategic priority for homeland defense and force projection capabilities. Placed at critical
installations, a network of MDRZs would create pockets of resilience across the United States to
recover quickly after an attack in any domain. While it would be infeasible to defend everything
at all times, layering protection with resiliency would ensure continuity of operations and
minimize the impacts of adversarial interference.
“Our homeland is vital to support any fight in the forward theater, and that requires protecting
the most critical infrastructure to ensure our missions are accomplished. The MDRZ Concept
provides a framework to enable all-domain protection of those assets an adversary may target
when they want to disrupt our mission,” said Maj. Gen. Scott Sherman, Commanding General of
U.S. Army North.
The MDRZ Concept framework is based on the National Research Council’s adaptive islanding
concept, which recommended strategic isolation of the electric grid into self-sufficient regions to
prevent a prolonged, grid-wide outage. Applied to homeland defense, the MDRZ Concept
combines adaptive islanding with multi-domain operations and protection to ensure installations
have access to the critical infrastructure needed to complete its missions.
“MDRZs have the ability to develop a homeland defense network across the nation to protect
important military capabilities and secure our homeland. Each MDRZ can be tailored to an
individual installation or facility’s needs, so it’s flexible enough to protect across the different
vulnerabilities at each specific location,” said Anthony Volino, the Chief of the Experimentation &
Analysis Division of U.S. Army North Integration.
Through ongoing monthly workshops, the FHD Project continues to investigate key disruptive
technologies, evaluating how advancements in these fields may pose a risk to the homeland
and how the technologies can be leveraged to support homeland defense missions. As the
team gains a better understanding of the future environment, they will continue refining the
MDRZ Concept while developing other recommendations to prepare the Army for the future
environment to enhance defense of the homeland.
A full build out of the MDRZ Concept, as well as other recommendations, will be included in the
Future of Homeland Defense final report, which is expected in early FY25.
Christian Baker is a strategic planner at U.S. Army North who received her master's degree in international affairs from Texas A&M University.
For more information about Army North's efforts in homeland defense, defense support to civil
authorities, and theater security cooperation, please visit Army North's official website at
https://www.arnorth.army.mil.
| Date Taken: | 09.30.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.01.2024 11:28 |
| Story ID: | 482142 |
| Location: | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 36 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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