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'''Power projection''' (or '''force projection''') is a term used in [[military science|military]] and [[political science]] to refer to the capacity of a [[state]] to implement policy by means of force, or the threat thereof, in an area distant from its own territory. The [[United States]] [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]], in its publication ''J1-02: Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms'', further defines power projection as

'''Power projection''' (or '''force projection''') is a term used in [[military science|military]] and [[political science]] to refer to the capacity of a [[state]] to implement policy by means of force, or the threat thereof, in an area distant from its own territory. The [[United States]] [[United States Department of Defense|Department of Defense]], in its publication ''J1-02: Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms'', further defines power projection as

<blockquote>The ability of a nation to apply all or some of its elements of national power - political, economic, informational, or military - to rapidly and effectively deploy and sustain forces in and from multiple dispersed locations to respond to crises, to contribute to deterrence, and to enhance regional stability. [http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/doddict/data/p/04138.html]</blockquote>

<blockquote>The ability of a nation to apply all or some of its elements of national power - political, economic, informational, or military - to rapidly and effectively deploy and sustain forces in and from multiple dispersed locations to respond to crises, to contribute to deterrence, and to enhance regional stability. [https://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/doddict/data/p/04138.html]</blockquote>

This ability is a crucial element of a state's [[Power in international relations|power]] in [[international relations]]. Any state able to direct its military forces outside the limited bounds of its territory might be said to have ''some'' level of power projection capability, but the term itself is used most frequently in reference to militaries with a worldwide reach (or at least significantly broader than a state's immediate area). Even states with sizable [[hard power]] assets (such as a large [[standing army]]) may only be able to exert limited [[regional power|regional influence]] so long as they lack the means of effectively projecting their power on a global scale. Generally, only a select few states are able to overcome the [[military logistics|logistical]] difficulties inherent in the [[Military deployment|deployment]] and direction of a modern, mechanized military force.

This ability is a crucial element of a state's [[Power in international relations|power]] in [[international relations]]. Any state able to direct its military forces outside the limited bounds of its territory might be said to have ''some'' level of power projection capability, but the term itself is used most frequently in reference to militaries with a worldwide reach (or at least significantly broader than a state's immediate area). Even states with sizable [[hard power]] assets (such as a large [[standing army]]) may only be able to exert limited [[regional power|regional influence]] so long as they lack the means of effectively projecting their power on a global scale. Generally, only a select few states are able to overcome the [[military logistics|logistical]] difficulties inherent in the [[Military deployment|deployment]] and direction of a modern, mechanized military force.