Surge Capacity

The ability of a system to expand rapidly, beyond its normal capacity, to meet increased demands made because of unexpected emergencies or disasters. Surge capacity has been a traditional concern of the military, given the ambiguities of war and war fighting. It is also a concern in times of peace.

A significant reason for having a military surge capacity is that if the nation ever requires a large increase in military capabilities due to a rapid change in the security environment, it can do so. Thus, in part, this argument has justified having more military bases and posts than might otherwise be efficiently operated. For example, after major wars, U.S. military planners have sought to build surge capacity into the support structures. This would, and does, include plans for calling up and supporting military reserves and National Guard forces to active duty, both in the United States and overseas.

While surge capacity has been a concern of the military and national security, it also has become a concern of other nonmilitary systems. These systems may be directly or indirectly affected. For example, in the case of bioterrorism, a bioterrorist attack would test the surge capacity of the health care system by increasing demand for qualified personnel, medical care, and public health. Other examples would include first-responder systems (police, fire, and emergency systems), communications systems (telephone, cell phone, and Internet systems), and transportation systems (such as the Civilian Air Backup System, which supports military deployments like recent ones to the Gulf and Iraq).