What is A10?

• A. Strategic plans
• B. Geographic vs a Functional Combatant Commander
• C. Strategic deterrence
• D. Analysis, studies, and assessments

Answer: (C)

A10 is about strategic deterrence. Deterrence at the strategic level is the use of credible threats and the leverage of national power to discourage an adversary from taking aggressive actions. It relies on credible military capability, clear communication of consequences, and often alliances, so that potential foes assess that the costs of aggression would far outweigh any potential gains. This concept is distinct from strategic plans (which are long-term policy roadmaps), the debate over geographic versus functional Combatant Commanders (which concerns command structure), and analysis, studies, and assessments (which are the processes used to understand situations and inform decisions). The best fit describes the goal and mechanism of deterrence—preventing conflict by shaping incentives and perceptions at the highest levels of security policy.