US Army pivots to prolonged First Island Chain fight in new warfighting guidance

The U.S. Army's new warfighting guidance explicitly shifts focus to a prolonged conflict along the First Island Chain, marking a doctrinal departure from decades of counterinsurgency and conventional land warfare. The plan emphasizes operating across archipelagic and maritime terrain, reflecting heightened U.S. concern over a potential China confrontation. This signals a major force posture and capability reorientation for the Army in the Indo-Pacific.