With information technologies increasingly shaping the environment in which U.S. military forces operate, Joint Vision 2020 and other recent DoD literature highlight the fundamental importance of achieving "decision superiority "--essentially, ...
The U. S. Army’s current operating concept of Full Spectrum Operations is nothing more than a return to an earlier concept, Flexible Response. The Army adopted Flexible Response in the early 1960s to mitigate the threat posed by Soviet nuclear,...
The paper examines the concept of operational synchronization to determine how the concept should be portrayed in the upcoming revision of FM 100-5, Operations. This study first examines implications of theory of the operational art on the concept...
In October 2007, the combined maritime services of the United States released "A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower," defining how they will operate to support strategic considerations. One concept looking to support this strategy is...
The information sphere is an integral part of the current environment. The center of gravity (CoG) theory currently is matched for conventional, linear, industrial age warfare in the physical domain. The CoG concept is thus not suited to work in...
Over the years, there has been debate within the services about whether Clausewitz's theories should be used as a basis for modern warfighting doctrine. The majority of debate has focused on the specific issue of whether Clausewitz's most well...
The United States Army is currently evolving from its Cold War structure to the more force-projection- oriented army of Force XXI. This transition will be complete by 2010. Beyond Force XXI is the Army After Next (AAN) which is projected to be...
One goal of the United States (US) is a capabilities-based joint force designed to quickly achieve success along the continuum of conflict ranging from peace operations to war.' In support of this goal, US Joint Forces Command (JFCOM) authors...
This monograph addresses the usefulness of the concept of centers of gravity as a planning tool. The concept of center of gravity has been integral to the planning of military operations since its initial description by Clausewitz. It had been...
This monograph examines the question is Clausewitz' theoretical concept of center of gravity the antithesis of a systems approach to warfare. The nature of conflict has changed since the age of Clausewitz, and a theoretical concept designed to...
Self-synchronization is an idea that comes directly from Network-Centric Warfare but its foundations lie in complexity theory and the ideas of self-organization and emergent behavior. In order to understand self-synchronization the basics of...
Developing a strategic bomber in today's budget constrained environment is a challenging prospect. The design requirements must address conflict across the spectrum and remain relevant regardless of the enemy America faces. The operational concept...
This study investigated how battlefield organization affects the commander's ability to accomplish his mission. Using FM 100-5, dated 1993, AirLand Battle, battlefield organization is defined as close, deep, and rear, which also encompasses the...
The Mobile Assault Company (MAC) concept--the technique of employing the Marine Infantry Battalion’s Weapons Company as a fourth maneuver element--is currently being employed successfully during counterinsurgency and Stability Operations in...
This study examines the main effort concept to determine if it is a necessary element for the design of a campaign plan. Current joint operational doctrine fails to address the main effort concept. This study examines service tactical doctrine,...
This monograph examines why many commanders continue to have problems writing effective commander's intent statements. Doctrine writers reintroduced "Commander's intent" to United States Army doctrine with the 1982 version of FM 100-5, Operations....
Exercising the strength of America’s military requires the capability to project people, equipment, and supplies across the globe. The credible threat of military action demands the ability to thrust that power at will, with the necessary...
The evolution of the Strategic Concept, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) blueprint for its approach to the global security environment, has undergone substantial change during the last ten years. These changes reflect the vastly...
The purpose of this monograph is to recommend the retention, modification, or abandonment of certain concepts of the current elements of operational design based on their continued validity within the contemporary operational environment. Military...
The Marine Corps should expect to fight within a strategic context of complex irregular warfare (CIW) for the near- to mid-term while retaining the ability to fight a major combat operation (MCO). As a result, the Distributed Operations...