Cold War planning often assumed that a major conflict would escalate to nuclear war too quickly for reserve mobilisation. The post-Cold War spectrum of competition and limited conflict may provide time to activate trained people and stored equipment. Reserve status therefore suits capabilities needed only once every decade or two but needed immediately when a crisis arrives. Infrequent use alone does not make such a capability obsolete.
Notable Point · 28:50-29:56
Grey-zone conflict renews the case for reserves
Reserves regain value when crises can escalate below the nuclear threshold and provide enough warning to activate rarely used capabilities.