Center for law and military operations report: the Judge Advocate General's legal center & school - CLAMO

Army Lawyer, March, 2004 by Pamela M. Stahl, Toby Harryman

(26.) JOINT PUB. 3-13, supra note 4, ch. 1, para. 1 .a.

(27.) Id. chap. 1, pars. 4.a.

(28.) OPLAW HANDBOOK, supra note 25, ch. 19.

(29.) FM 3-13, supra note 4, pars. 1-87. See also FM 6-0, supra note 8, pars. 6-105 (providing that "[t]argeting is a logical process that synchronizes lethal and nonlethal fires ... includ[ing] offensive information operations effects").

(30.) FM 3-13, supra note 4, paras. 5-90, 5-92.

(31.) Id. paras. 5-94, 5-95.

(32.) See id. paras. 5-1-5-8. To describe and direct IO, commanders use the mission statement, concept of support, objectives, and tasks. The IO mission statement is a short paragraph or sentence describing what the commander wants IO to accomplish and its purpose; the concept of support is a statement of where, when, and how the commander intends to focus the IO element of combat power to accomplish the mission; the objectives are defined and obtainable aims that the commander intends to achieve using IO; and the IO tasks are developed to support accomplishment of one or more objectives. See id. Using the MDMP process, the IO cell conducts mission analysis to define the tactical problem and determine feasible solutions. During mission analysis the staff: analyzes the higher headquarters order; conducts the intelligence preparation of the battlefield; determines specified, implied, and essential tasks; reviews available assets; determines constraints; identifies critical facts and assumptions; conducts a risk assessment; determines initial commander's critical information requirements; determines the initial ISR annex; plans use of available time; writes the restated mission; conducts a mission analysis briefing; approves the restated mission; develops the initial commander's intent; issues the commander's guidance and warning order (WARNO); and reviews facts and assumptions, ld. pars. 5-31. After the mission analysis briefing, the staff develops courses of action (COAs) for analysis and comparison based on the restated mission, commander's intent, and planning guidance. During the COA analysis, the G7 develops or refines the following IO products to support each COA: concept of support; objectives; tasks to support each objective; input work sheets; synchronization matrix; IO-related target nominations; and critical asset list. The staff then conducts a COA-analysis (war-gaming) comparison. Next, in a COA decision briefing, the staff makes a recommendation to the commander. The IO concept of support for the approved COA becomes the IO concept of support for the operation. The G-3 then issues a WARNO, which contains the IO's contributions to the commander's intent and concept of operations; IO tasks requiring early initiation; and a summary of the IO concept of support and IO objectives. Finally, the staff refines the approved COA and issues an operations plan or operations order. See generally id. paras. 5-12-5-130.

(33.) See U.S. DEP'T OF ARMY, FIELD MANUAL 6-20-10, THE TARGETING PROCESS ch. 2 (8 May 1996). In the decide phase, the staff addresses targeting priorities and briefs high-pay-off target lists, the intelligence collection plan, target selection standards, and the attack guidance matrix to the commander for decision. Id. In the detect phase, the targeting team develops the information needs for target detection. These needs are expressed as priority intelligence requirements (FIR) and intelligence requirements (IR). Id. Targets and suspected targets are then passed to the targeting team by a number of means, to include intelligence from subordinate units, IOWG, etc. Id. The deliver function of the targeting process executes the target attack guidance and supports the commander's battle plan once the staff Insures and identifies the high pay-off targets. Id. Tactical decisions that must be made in this phase include when to attack, the desired effect, degree of damage, or both, and the attack system to be used. Based on these decisions, a unit is then assigned to conduct the attack. Finally, to complete the targeting cycle, a combat assessment is made of the executed mission, to include a battle damage assessment, munitions effect assessment, and a reattack recommendation. See id.