The Joint Force in a Contested and Disordered World

Conclusion
“The primary purpose of any theory is to clarify concepts and ideas that have become, as
it were, confused and entangled.” 41
Although war is itself an enduring feature of the human condition, the character of war is always
evolving. This change in the character of war demands our attention. The emerging security
environment can be described by simultaneous and connected challenges – contested norms and
persistent disorder. The evolution of these challenges in the security environment of 2035 will be
evident across World Order; Human Geography; and Science, Technology, and Engineering.
Competitor states and some powerful non-state actors will challenge the rules that underpin the
current global order. Meanwhile, fragile states will become increasingly incapable of maintaining
order. Moreover, anticipated scientific and technical advances will likely lead to greater parity
among a range of international actors thus allowing potential adversaries to more effectively
challenge U.S. global interests.
Trends and conditions will converge and intersect, creating six specific Contexts of Future Conflict
that describe the character of future conflict, the nature of potential adversaries, and the
characteristics of the military competitive space. Future conflict will feature more capable
adversaries placing difficult demands on the Joint Force over wide areas of the globe. Furthermore,
the effectiveness and sustainability of Joint Force operations over time will be highly dependent
on popular perceptions, attitudes, and broad acceptance of their legitimacy.
When linked to an understanding of the potential range of future U.S. strategic goals and enduring
military tasks, the Contexts of Future Conflict enable the identification of likely Joint Force
missions. The scope of these missions reflects the need to simultaneously address high-end threats
to favorable global order with the need to confront disruptive low-end threats emerging from a
disordered world. However, the missions should not be viewed as a clearly defined, precise, and
discrete set, but rather, a start point for a dialogue between military planners and their political
leaders.
The outcome of this dialogue will be shaped by the force development activities of today. It is
unclear whether the Joint Force can be simultaneously proficient at addressing contested norms
and persistent disorder with currently projected capabilities, operational approaches, and fiscal
resources. Therefore, the United States must consider military investments that acknowledge there
may be times when it is more appropriate to manage global security problems as opposed to
undertaking expensive efforts to comprehensively solve them.
JOE 2035 is designed to encourage the purposeful preparation of the Joint Force to effectively
manage this reality. It sets the stage for a more detailed conversation about how the Joint Force
can achieve success in the future security environment. JOE 2035 was written to accelerate new
ways – or concepts – for the Joint Force to address the likely needs of future strategy and thus,
identify a foundation upon which enduring U.S. military advantages can be built.
41
Carl Von Clausewitz, On War. (trans. Paret and Howard, 1976/1984), p. 132.
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