Book Description

This handbook describes operational design and its interaction with joint operation planning. It is based partly on joint doctrine contained in JP 5-0 , Joint Operation Planning, and JP 2-01.3, Joint Intelligence Preparation of the Operational Environment, but it provides more details on operational design than currently exist in these publications. The handbook also highlights “best practices” derived from Service, joint, and multinational operations and joint exercises. In particular, this handbook increases the depth of discussion on operational design by incorporating new design-related ideas developed and refined in Service and joint academic institutions during the past three years. This handbook has two primary purposes. The first is to provide useful details to commanders and planners on joint operational design and its interaction with the joint operation planning process. The second is to stimulate thinking about the best ways to incorporate new, design-related ideas into emerging joint doctrine, training, and education. This handbook provides a platform the joint community can use to examine and debate design issues and establish a common frame of reference for collaboration on assimilating value-added ideas. This handbook focuses on operational design and related aspects of joint operation planning within strategic and operational-level context. The handbook is relevant to joint force commanders (JFC), joint force Service and functional component commanders, and their respective staffs. However, the staff is the intended target audience, especially those involved in planning joint operations.