CHAIRMAN'S LETTER
PREFACE
SUMMARY OF CHANGES
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
CHAPTER I JOINT PLANNING
1. Overview
2. Principles of Planning
3. Planning
4. Strategic, Theater, and Functional Planning
5. Strategy, Plans, Operations, and Assessments Cycle
6. Shared Understanding
7. Risk Identification and Mitigation
8. Assessment
9. Agility, Initiative, and Simplicity
10. Interorganizational Planning and Coordination
11. Multinational Planning and Coordination
12. Strategic Guidance for Multinational Operations
13. Review of Multinational Plans
CHAPTER II STRATEGIC GUIDANCE AND COORDINATION
1. Overview
SECTION A. NATIONAL AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE GUIDANCE
2. Introduction
3. Strategic Guidance and Direction
4. National Security Council System
5. National Security Strategy
6. Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development
7. Department of Defense
8. Joint Strategic Planning System
9. Combatant Commanders
10. Commander’s Communication Synchronization
SECTION B. APPLICATION OF GUIDANCE
11. Joint Planning and Execution Community
12. Adaptive Planning and Execution Enterprise
13. Operational Activities
14. Planning Functions
15. Planning Products
CHAPTER III STRATEGY AND CAMPAIGN DEVELOPMENT
1. Overview
2. Campaign Planning
3. Conditions, Objectives, Effects, and Tasks Linkage
4. Resource-Informed Planning (Capability Assignment, Apportionment, Allocation)
5. Elements of a Combatant Command Campaign Plan
6. Assessing Theater and Functional Campaign Plans
7. Risk
8. Opportunity
CHAPTER IV OPERATIONAL ART AND OPERATIONAL DESIGN
1. Overview
2. The Commander’s Role
SECTION A. OPERATIONAL ART
3. Overview
4. Role of Operational Art
SECTION B. OPERATIONAL DESIGN
5. Overview
6. Understand the Strategic Direction and Guidance
7. Understand the Strategic Environment
8. Understand the Operational Environment
9. Define the Problem
10. Identify Assumptions
11. Developing Operational Approaches
12. Identify Decisions and Decision Points
13. Refine the Operational Approach
14. Prepare Planning Guidance
SECTION C. ELEMENTS OF OPERATIONAL DESIGN
15. Elements of Operational Design
SECTION D. PHASING
16. Application
17. Number, Sequence, and Overlap
18. Transitions
CHAPTER V JOINT PLANNING PROCESS
1. Introduction
2. Operational Art and Operational Design Interface with the Joint Planning Process
3. Planning Initiation (Step 1)
4. Mission Analysis (Step 2)
5. Course of Action Development (Step 3)
6. Course of Action Analysis and Wargaming (Step 4)
7. Course of Action Comparison (Step 5)
8. Course of Action Approval (Step 6)
9. Plan or Order Development (Step 7)
CHAPTER VI OPERATION ASSESSMENT
SECTION A. GENERAL
1. Overview
2. The Purpose of Operation Assessment in Joint Operations
3. Tenets of Operation Assessment
4. Commander and Staff Involvement
5. Staff Organization for Operation Assessment
SECTION B. CONDUCTING OPERATION ASSESSMENT
6. General
7. Operation Assessment Process
8. Cyclical Nature of Assessment
SECTION C. LINKING EFFECTS, OBJECTIVES, AND END STATES TO TASKS THROUGH INDICATORS
9. Introduction
10. Guidelines for Indicator Development
11. Selecting Indicators
12. Understanding Information Categories and Data Types
13. Linking Effects, Objectives, and End States to Tasks Through Indicators
CHAPTER VII TRANSITION TO EXECUTION
1. Overview
2. Types of Transition
3. Transition Process
APPENDIX
APPENDIX A JOINT OPERATION PLAN FORMAT
APPENDIX B STRATEGIC ESTIMATE
APPENDIX C STAFF ESTIMATES
APPENDIX D OPERATION ASSESSMENT PLAN (EXAMPLES)
APPENDIX E GLOBAL FORCE MANAGEMENT
APPENDIX F FLEXIBLE DETERRENT OPTIONS AND FLEXIBLE RESPONSE OPTIONS
APPENDIX G COURSE OF ACTION COMPARISON
APPENDIX H POSTURE PLANS
APPENDIX J THEATER DISTRIBUTION PLANS
APPENDIX K RED TEAMS
APPENDIX L REFERENCES
APPENDIX M ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTIONS
GLOSSARY
PART I—ABBREVIATIONS, ACRONYMS, AND INITIALISMS
PART II—TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
FIGURE
Figure II-1. Providing for the Direction of the Armed Forces
Figure II-2. Additional Sources of Strategic Guidance
Figure II-3. Joint Planning and Execution Community
Figure II-4. Joint Planning Activities, Functions, and Products
Figure II-5. Contingency Plans Support Campaign Objectives
Figure II-6. Contingency and Crisis Comparison
Figure II-7. Joint Orders
Figure III-1. The Campaign
Figure III-2. Campaign Planning and Execution
Figure IV-1. Developing the Operational Approach
Figure IV-2. Operational Art
Figure IV-3. Operational Design Framework
Figure IV-4. Understanding the Operational Environment
Figure IV-5. Holistic View of the Operational Environment
Figure IV-6. Defining the Problem
Figure IV-7. Elements of Operational Design
Figure IV-8. End State, Objectives, Effects, Tasks
Figure IV-9. Characteristics of Centers of Gravity
Figure IV-10. Center of Gravity Analysis
Figure IV-11. Sample Line of Operation
Figure IV-12. Sample Lines of Effort
Figure IV-13. Direct and Indirect Approach
Figure V-1. Joint Planning Process
Figure V-2. Joint Planning Overview
Figure V-3. Mission Analysis
Figure V-4. Mission Analysis Activities
Figure V-5. Commander’s Critical Information Requirements
Figure V-6. Example Mission Analysis Briefing
Figure V-7. Course of Action Development
Figure V-8. Step-By-Step Approach to Course of Action Development
Figure V-9. Example Course of Action Development Briefing
Figure V-10. Course of Action Analysis
Figure V-11. Potential Evaluation Criteria
Figure V-12. Sample Wargaming Steps
Figure V-13. Course of Action Comparison
Figure V-14. Example of Staff Estimate Matrix (Intelligence Estimate)
Figure V-15. Course of Action Approval
Figure V-16. Sample Course of Action Briefing Guide
Figure V-17. Plan Development Activities
Figure VI-1. Campaign Plan Assessments
Figure VI-2. Notional Combatant Commander Assessment Review
Figure VI-3. Operation Assessment Steps
Figure VI-4. Step 1—Develop Operation Assessment Approach
Figure VI-5. Information Collection Considerations
Figure VI-6. Step 2—Develop Assessment Plan
Figure VI-7. Step 3—Collect Information and Intelligence
Figure VI-8. Step 4—Analyze Information and Intelligence