WASHINGTON, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- The U.S. Defense Department will rethink how it fights wars, shifting to preparation for non-traditional conflicts, a Pentagon report indicates.
The latest Quadrennial Defense Review would replace the nearly 25-year-old combat planning style of fighting conventional wars in separate locations with a force capable of protecting the United States from many threats from cyberattacks to terrorism, CNN reported.
The 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review, a congressionally mandated process that examines future threats and the military's requirements to counter them, comes on the same day the Pentagon presents its 2011 budget request.
"It is no longer appropriate to speak of major regional conflicts as the sole or even primary template for sizing, shaping or evaluating U.S. forces," said a draft first obtained by Inside Defense, an online news service for defense and aerospace professionals.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates will seek $708 billion, including funding for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, $44 billion more than the 2010 budget of $664 billion, CNN reported.
The 2010 review emphasizes threats from China, while examining the need to defend against the threat of cyberattacks -- without mentioning China by name -- and China's focus on pre-emptive strikes, CNN said.
The review also discusses a greater use of unmanned airplanes for reconnaissance and airstrikes, as well as recognizing the need to protect U.S. troops from roadside bombs by enhancing training and intelligence.
The Pentagon report also said weapons of mass destruction would continue to be a threat, pushing for improved detection capabilities for weapons of mass destruction.
The Pentagon also will face future conflicts over reduced resources and environmental catastrophes, the report said.
