Professional Documents
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ASSUMPTIONS
1. The bomber will always get through; it does not
need an escort.
2. Civilian morale is fragile, but the British
[morale] is tougher than the Germans, and the
moral effect of bombing is much more
devastating than the physical effect.
3. The offensive is the stronger form of the air
GIULIO DOUHET war.
1869-1930 4. Night navigation, target acquisition, and bombing
“The Father of Air Power” accuracy are manageable problems.
5. Air superiority is a prerequisite for all other
military operations
WARDEN’S RINGS
COLONEL JOHN R BOYD
(USAF, Retired)
1927-1997
THESIS
• The art of air campaign planning is vital and once IMPACT
air superiority is assured, Ai Power can be used • The naval aviation community building its PGM
either in support of the arms or can be supported capability and making its command, control, and
by the other arms, and sometimes can function communications capability more compatible with
independently to achieve decisive effects. joint operations.
• Technology made a parallel attack (as opposed • Warden’s book “The Air Campaign” was to have
to sequential ones). an effect as pervasive and long-lasting on the
• The Centers of Gravity vary from case to case. armed forces.
They may be arranged in five rings. At the center
are leadership targets, then means of production, Air Power Characteristics
infrastructure, population, and fielded forces in
the outer perimeter. STRENGTHS
• Almost all states and other political entities have
the five rings, and they always appear with 1. Perspective
leadership at the center. - elevation provides a broader field of view than
can be had by observers on the surface.
TARGETING
• The enemy should be targeted as the first priority. 2. Speed
- being elevated above the surface gives
• Targeting the enemy’s physical capability (as
aerospace platforms the potential to move very
opposed to his psychological objectives) should
rapidly because they are not constrained by
be done with the full realization that military
surface friction or impeded by terrain obstacles.
objectives must clearly serve the political
objectives.
3. Reach
• Targeting the COG in any ring simultaneously is
- aircraft can project military power over great
more effective than sequential targeting;
distances in any direction unimpeded by surface
targeting the objectives in all the rings in parallel,
features such as mountain barriers or expanses
rather than sequentially, tends to be even more
of water.
decisive than attacking only one ring or starting
with the outer ring and proceeding inward through
4. Maneuverability
each ring in turn.
- While surface forces can move only on the
earth’s surface and are dependent on its features
AIR SUPERIORITY
for any vertical movement, elevation gives
• Command of the air remains Warden’s first
aerospace platforms three-dimensional
priority for all operations in the air or on the
maneuverability.
surface, though it sometimes may be achieved in
parallel attacks rather than sequential.
5. Ubiquity
• Warden believed that the least efficient place for
- refers to the ability to operate almost anywhere
achieving air dominance was in the air.
within the air and over the surface. This attribute
• Air attack can serve more than one role. is also described as mobility and persuasiveness
and implies the same sense of movement
AIR EXPLOITATION unconstrained by physical barriers.
• Air interdiction by any other name is still
preferable to close air support because it allows 6. Flexibility
more targets to be killed at less cost. - air power is flexible in that assets can be
• The preservation of air reserves and argues the diverted quickly and effectively from one task to
idea as a radical one. another and from one target to another.
7. Responsiveness
4. Sensitivity to Technology
- Air Power is a product of technology, and
technological advances inevitably affect air
power development.
Tenets of Air Power Air Strategy - The art & science of organizing, developing,
deploying & employing air forces to achieve
1. Centralized control and decentralized execution military objectives
of air force.
2. Air power produces synergistic effects. Campaigns - Series of tactical operations designed to
3. Air power systems are suited to persistent achieve objectives set by strategy
operations. Air Strategy:
4. Air operations must be prioritized. 1. Strategic Air Power - Air Power employed as the primary
means of winning a war (usually by bombing
5. Air operations must be balanced.
an enemy’s homeland, war-making capacity
& population)
Organizational Transformation from support arms of armies William “Billy” Mitchell - Earliest American Air Power Theorist
(air corps) & navies (naval air service) to air forces - Conducted 1921 bombing tests that sank the
ex-German battleship Ostfriesland
Operational/Technological Transformation - Argued vehemently for strategic bombing by
– Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance a large, independent air force
– (Reconnaissance Aircraft)
– Counter-Air (fighters) - Advocated use of air power to destroy
– Tactical Strike (attack aircraft) fielded forces of the enemy, on land and at
– Strategic Strike (long-range bombers) sea
– Naval Aviation (carrier aircraft) - Feuded with the US Navy on who should
take over Coast Defense Role
3. Air Power in the Last Year of WW1 (1918)
– Ground operations = joint air-land operations US Air Corps Tactical School
– Air superiority first role of air forces - Forerunner of Air University and breeding
– Strategic bombing = physical effect limited, psychological ground for US Army Air Corps doctrines,
effect strong strategies & theories from the 1920s up to
– Naval warfare transformed by long-range ISR & aircraft carrier WW2
operations
Classical Air Power Theory (1919-1939) - Came up with the idea of strategic bombing
using precision attacks on the economic
Air Power Lessons & Issues from World War One infrastructure
• Aircraft as an important weapon
• Its tactical role is well recognized but strategic role uncertain. *Industrial Web targeting – a modern
• Air power has a brief history compared to land and sea power industrial society is an interconnected system
so problem of digesting lessons or “web”.
• Promise of better technology as aircraft design became a
science that will transform warfare - All air forces need to do is to identify the
nodes & subject these to attacks and the
Questions for Air Power Theorists whole system will collapse
Radar detects aircraft & passes info to Sector Station (C2) Strategic Bombing Campaigns in World War II
↓ 1. German Air Campaign vs UK (1940-41)
2. UK Night Bombing Campaign vs Germany (1940-45)
Sector Station analyzes radar reports, track direction of enemy
3. US Daylight Bombing of Germany (1942-45)
a/c & gives order to intercept
4. US Bombing of Japan (1944-45)
↓
After receiving order from Sector Station, fighter squadrons Integrated Air Defense System vs Strategic Bombing
intercept – The Royal Air Force & later the German Luftwaffe
employed IADS vs the respective strategic bombing
Hugh Dowding - Head of UK Fighter Command who campaigns launched against their countries
developed the first integrated air – IADS vs strategic bombing hinged on the ability of
defense system linking radar, fighter defenses to inflict unacceptable losses (5% as norm) vs the
units & headquarters attackers
– Key success factor = absence or presence of fighter escorts
TACTICAL AVIATION protecting strategic bombing force
• Germans & Russians saw the value of air power more along
the lines of its contribution to surface forces Strategic Bombing as “Failure”
– Belief “The bomber will always get through”
• Luftwaffe doctrine emphasized fighter air superiority, against IADS led to unsustainable losses
balanced multi-role air force – Required fighter escorts to allow the bombers to
get to the target w/ acceptable losses
• Equipment priority on specialized attack aircraft, fighters & – Failed to Destroy or Cripple Enemy Production
medium bombers -German war production actually rose to highest
levels in Summer 1944 during the peak of Allied
• German widespread adoption of radio-facilitated air-ground bombing
coordination during CAS & BAI – Failed to Destroy the Morale of Enemy Population
– Failed on the promise of being less costly than
• Experiments with air mobility & airborne/parachute operations ground campaigns
by Germany & Russia - US and British fatalities from the air war (145,000 KIA
& Missing) almost at par with their ground combat
NAVAL AVIATION fatalities (160,000 KIA)
• Interwar period saw debate on impact of air power on navies
• Question on which would be the primary weapon: aircraft or Strategic Bombing as “Success”
battleship? – Prevented Enemy Production from Attaining Its Full Potential
• US, UK & Japan developed carrier aviation & took advantage – Represented a True Second Front That Tied in Massive
of naval limitation agreements to convert battleship hulls to Enemy Resources
aircraft carriers • 1 million plus German personnel for air defense
• Officers who believed that air power & carriers would be the • 10,000 plus heavy Anti-Aircraft Artillery
wave of the future included Isoroku Yamamoto, Minoru • The majority of the German Fighter Force
Genda, William Moffett, William S. Sims & John Towers • Production priority from offensive capabilities
(bombers) to defensive capabilities (fighters)
– The Oil Campaign Crippled German Ground Forces
• WW2 tested the theory whether or not air power can win a war – Counterforce = Survivability of nuclear
on its own (strategic air power) delivery systems from first strike to enable
counterstrike & Mutually Assured Destruction
• Contrary to the expectations of strategic bombing theorists of (MAD)
the Interwar Era, air power was not able to deliver on what they
promised – Focus on targeting & how many weapons
allocated to targets
• What it was able to deliver was that success in ground and
naval operations need control of the air as a precondition Nuclear Weapons & Limited War
– General War involving nuclear weapons
• Air Power was also a tremendous force multiplier in seen as too destructive but some believe its
joint campaigns & tactical operations use in a limited conflict possible
Cold War Strategy & Military Systems – Development of small nuclear weapons
- the defeat of the Axis in WW2 inaugurated a new politico- carried by tactical aircraft for use in the
military rivalry between the US-led Western Powers & the battlefield
communist USSR with its satellites that lasted until 1989 Conventional Air Power Theory
• Strategic Bombardment/Strike as core of air power theory
Cold War - This conflict known was marked not by direct continuity from WW2 (bombers & surface to surface missiles)
armed confrontation between the two
superpowers but wars by proxies • New element that impacted on conventional strategic strike
was the moral question of massive civilian casualties leading to
Cold War Air Power Theory - was shaped in large part by later investment in precision guided weapons
technological developments
• Strategic bombers on occasion used in the tactical battlefield
• Technologies Driving Cold War Air Power
– Nuclear Weapons • Offensive Counter Air vs Defensive Counter-Air = IADS vs
– Ballistic Missiles SEAD (1960s-80s)
– Supersonic Jet Aircraft – Radars, Electronic Warfare, Firepower integration
– Rotary-Wing Aircraft – IADS = Interceptors + GBADS (Radar, SAM, Anti-
– Tactical Guided Missiles (AAM, SAM, ASM) Aircraft Artillery) + Integrated C2
• Airmobility (1960s)
– Improvements in helicopter performance & technology
– Requirement of dispersion in a nuclear battlefield
– US Army developed Airmobile Divisions using helicopters to
transport soldiers like modern (air) cavalry
– Became an effective weapon for counterguerrilla warfare
• Air Power cannot win a war on its own but it has a decisive 2. WORLD WAR 1 (1914-1918)
impact as part of a joint team (No details included in this slide of World War 1)
Medieval Warfare
- Period between the Fall of Rome to the 15th Century
known as Middle Ages or Medieval Period
- Major Military Developments
o Heavy Armored Cavalry (Europe)
o Light Cavalry (Islamic Countries, Mongols)
o Military Architecture & Engineering (Castles
& Siege Warfare)
o Gunpowder Artillery (Late Middle Ages)
- Major Military Powers
o Mongol Empire (13th-14th Centuries)
o Byzantine Empire (6th-11th Centuries)
WHAT IS WAR?
Sun Tzu while not defining what war is 3. The Intangible Elements
acknowledges its importance
- “War is vital to the state, the road to life or ruin.” a. Political Factor
-The political element is the one that distinguishes war
Why are Wars fought? (Thucydides) from other forms of organized violence
-Fear (security, safety, survival)) -Clausewitz’ views
-Honor (prestige, national honor) -‘war was nothing but the continuation of policy with
-Interest (territorial, economic, resource other means’
gain) -war should never be thought of as something
autonomous, but always as an instrument of policy
The nature of war is constant or objective -war has its own grammar but not its own logic
regardless of time, political systems,
technology state b. Human/Moral Factor
-People fight today for the same reason they
As opposed to its constant nature, the fight in Thucidydes’ time – fear, honor &
evolving/transforming interest
-Moral forces = human factor
WAR’S ENDURING ELEMENT o Commander (quality, character, skill)
o Army (cohesion, fighting spirit, pride)
1. War as an Instrument of Policy o Popular Support
-“War has its own grammar (combat) but not its own
logic (policy)” c. Uncertainty
-Aim of strategy is to convert military effort into -From LTGEN Harold McMasters (US Army)
political reward (Colin Gray) on the three age-old truths about war:
-The purpose of fighting is not to win a military -First, war is political. Second, war is
victory (for its own sake)…the purpose of fighting human. THIRD, war is uncertain, precisely
is to secure a better peace because it is political and human.
-Military strategy is subordinate to policy/grand
strategy d. Fog & Friction – Uncertainty, Danger, Confusion,
-The whys of going to war are determined by the Weather, the enemy, Murphy’s Law (“anything
policy-makers that can go wrong will go wrong)
-Sun Tzu Perspective also considers the
non-military means in the conduct of war Action in war is like movement in a resistant
(psychological, diplomatic, economic – element. Just as the simplest and most natural of
Michael Handel) movements, walking, cannot easily be performed in
-Role of force is more down-stated – “the water, so in war, it is difficult for normal efforts to
acme of victory is not to win a hundred achieve even moderate results.
victories in a hundred battles but to win
without fighting” ‘Distinguishes real war from war on paper’
-War as a large-scale organized activity became 5. Surprise: To strike the enemy at a time or place or
possible due to economic development Ina manner for which it is unprepared-
-Development of Agriculture Mass: To concentrate the effects of combat power
o made possible the development of larger societies & at the place and time to achieve decisive results
economic diversification due to food sufficiency
o led to the organization of armies that could be 6. Maneuver: To place the enemy in a position of
supported by society disadvantage through the flexible application of
-Economic development also translated to superior combat power
politico-military organizations
7. Unity of Command: To ensure unity of effort
-Development of Warfare shaped by dominant under one responsible commander for every
activity of a particular age (Alvin & Heidi Toffler) objective
o 1st Wave War –Agricultural Age war fought
w/weapons adapted from farming tools 8. Economy of Force: To allocate minimum essential
o 2nd Wave War Industrial Age War w/ mass combat power to secondary efforts
armies, mass production of weapons, total
mobilization 9. Security: To never permit the enemy to acquire
unexpected advantage
4. Based on Enemy Strength or Weakness o The development of armed forces & their
capabilities shaped by the challenge of defending
a. Attrition the geographic area of their country
-Based on favorable ratio in losses inflicted and ▪ Philippines require air, naval and land forces
suffered
-Direct approach o Geographic make-up makes it susceptible to
conflicts w/in the country among ethnic groups
b. Maneuver Warfare
-Based on attacking an enemy weakness 1.b Politics
-Indirect approach
o Creation of AFP linked to the change in political
c. Symmetrical Warfare status of the Philippines from colony to independent
-Similar types of forces (i.e. army vs army) Republic
o Political Ideology root of threat to the Republic
d. Asymmetric Warfare (Communist Insurgency)
-Dissimilar types of forces (air force vs army) o Inter-service Relations among the branches of the
-Employing a way or means that the enemy has no AFP (Militics) affect military priorities
direct counter (Positional or Functional Dislocation) o Civil-Military Relations between the Armed Forces &
the National Leadership affect strategy, resource
Types of Forces allocation & capability priorities
MOOTW
Characteristics of MOOTW
• Involve elements of both combat and noncombat
operations
• More sensitive to political considerations
• More restrictive rules of engagement (ROE)
• Aimed to achieve national objectives as quickly
as possible and conclude military operations
Purpose of MOOTW
• Deterrence
• Prevent potential aggressors
• Peace enforcement, strikes, and raids
• HA and peacekeeping support
• Forward presence
• Forces stationed overseas and afloat,
periodic and rotational deployments,
access and storage agreements, port
visits, and foreign community support
• Crisis response options
• Respond rapidly either unilaterally or as
a part of a multinational effort
Principles of MOOTW
• Pre-War AFP
- Philippine Constabulary (PC) – 08 August
1901
- Law enforcement outside towns and cities
- Rid the countryside of lawless bands
- Sakdalistas - a peasant-based political party
• Environmental Protection and Rehabilitation
• Post-War AFP
- Internal security role
- Hukbalahap or Huks in 1955
- New People’s Army (NPA)
- Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF)
- Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF)
• Disaster Response
Project Tinta
• Conduct of CMO activities
Instruments of National Power – are the sum of all resources Philippine Limitations
available to a nation in the pursuit of its national objectives
(national survival) Commonwealth Act No. 1 (1935)
Article I National Defense Policy, Sec. 2 (a) The security of the
Philippines and the freedom, independence, and perpetual
neutrality of the Philippine Republic shall be guaranteed by the
employment of all citizens, without distinction of age or sex, and
all resources.
1987 Philippine Constitution
Article II Section 2. The Philippines renounces war as an
instrument of national policy, adopts the generally accepted
principles of international law as part of the law of the land and
adheres to the policy of peace, equality, justice, freedom,
cooperation, and amity with all nations.
Philippine Foreign Policy:
The State shall pursue an independent foreign policy. In its
relations with other states the paramount consideration shall be
national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interest, and
the right to self-determination. (Sec. 7, Article II)
Diplomatic
• 68 embassies and 126 consulates Making a Strategy: PESTEM
• The Philippines has some 3,367 subsisting Political
agreements since 1946 Economic
Socio-Cultural
• Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Technological
• Defense and Armed Forces Attache (DAFA) to send Environment
Daily Special Reports Military – last option
• ASEAN
• United Nations (UN) Methods of National Power
• Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Persuasion
Rewards
Military Punishment
Force
• AFP: Internal Security Operations (ISO)
• AFP: Territorial Defense Operations (TDO) DO WE HAVE THE WAYS AND MEANS TO PUSH OUR
• AFP: Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster NATIONAL INTERESTS?
Response (HADR)
• International Defense and Security Engagements
(IDSE)
• Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT)
• Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA)
• Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA)
• Balikatan Exercise
• Bilateral Air Contingent Exchange –Philippines
(BACE-P 10-22)
• War on Terror
Economic
• Economic Cooperation (APEC)
• World Trade Organization (WTO)
• 2010 ASEAN Trade in Good Agreement (ATIGA)
• Philippines – Japan Economic Partnership
• Philippines – European Free Trade Association Free
Trade Agreement
• Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (PH
and 14 Asia Pacific countries)
DEFINE THE OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT SUMMARY JIPOE STEP THREE develops a profile of the enemy.
STEP ONE
1. What is the mission? INTENT: To develop threat models which accurately portray
2. What is the Commander’s intent? how the adversary doctrinally operates under normal conditions.
3. What features comprise the AO?
4. What areas can affect the current mission? How? EVALUATE THE ADVERSARY AND OTHER RELEVANT
5. What information is available about the terrain, weather, and ACTORS
threat? • SPECIFIC ADVERSARY/ENEMY CAPABILITIES AND COAs
6. What information needs to be obtained about the AO, AOI, ARE EVALUATED. (THIS IS A JOINT EFFORT FROM THE 2s
weather, and threat? IN THE GROUND)
o CURRENT INTELLIGENCE ESTIMATES
JIPOE Step Two: DESCRIBE THE IMPACT OF THE o CURRENT PERIODIC STATUS REPORT OR
OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT ORDER OF BATTLE • IT SHOULD ANSWER “HOW
DO THE ENEMY OPERATES?”
JIPOE STEP TWO requires the analyst to demonstrate how the • ASG WITHOUT KV? ASG WITH
weather, terrain, and other characteristics of the OE can affect KV?
both friendly and enemy operations within a given AO, AOI, and • DO THEY CONSTANTLY MOVE
OE.. WHENEVER THEY HAVE KVs?
• WHERE ARE THE ENEMY
INTENT: To allow the Commander to quickly choose and exploit STRONGHOLDS? (CIVILIAN SUPPORTERS) (TERRAIN
the terrain (and associated weather, politics, economics, or FEATURES THAT THEY ALREADY MASTERED)
other relevant factors) that best supports the friendly mission. • RISKS – PURSUE AND
OPERATE? NEGOTIATE?
- FROM THE DATA IN STEP 1 (DEFINE THE OE), LET US o DEVELOP MODELS – ORDER OF BATTLE OR
DESCRIBE THE IMPACT OF EACH CHARACTERISTIC TO PERIODIC STATUS REPORT
THE MISSION. AS THE AIR COMPONENT COMMANDER, o COMPOSITION, STRENGTH, DISPOSITION,
FOCUS ON AIR OPERATIONS. TACTICS, COGs, CRITICAL REQUIREMENTS, RISKS
1. TERRAIN – DESCRIBE THE AREA OF OPERATION AND o MOST IMPORTANT IS TO DETERMINE CENTER OF
AREA OF INTEREST GRAVITY
• DISTANCE OF AIRFIELDS – ZAMBO – BASILAN – TAWI- • WHAT IS CENTER OF GRAVITY?
TAWI, LUZON?
• WHAT TYPE OF AIRCRAFT IS APPLICABLE TO THE
ABOVEMENTIONED TERRAIN
• WHAT ARE THE CAPABILITIES OF PAF AIR ASSETS
CURRENTLY IN THE AREA (LETS SAY ALL AIR ASSESTS
ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE)
• HOW FAST THEY CAN ARRIVE?
• WHERE WILL THEY TAKE OFF?
• WHERE WILL THEY LAND?
• PROBABLE LANDING ZONES
ENEMY COA BASE ON THEIR CAPABILITIES • AIPB VS IPB – SAME PROCESS BUT WITH EMPHASIS TO
• THE ASG MAY LURE GOVERNMENT FORCES AND AIR OPERATIONS
CONDUCT SNIPER OPERATIONS • THE ASG CAN
CONDUCT IED OPERATIONS • IDENTIFY YOUR ROLE IN A MISSION. IT MAY REQUIRE
• SUICIDE BOMBER TACTIC YOU PLAY A ROLE. OTHER SITUATIONS MAY REQUIRE
YOU TO BECOME THE COMMANDER
MOST PROBABLE ENEMY COA (MOST LIKELY TO ADOPT)
• THE ASG WILL USE THE KV AS HUMAN SHIELD
• THEY WILL NOT ENGAGE INTO FRONTAL ASSAULT WITH
THE ARMED FORCES
• THEY WILL EVADE GOVERNMENT TROOPS AS MUCH AS
POSSIBLE UNTIL THEIR DEMAND HAS BEEN MET
▪ Political Factor
o The political element is the one that distinguishes
war from other forms of organized violence
o Clausewitz: ‘war was nothing but the continuation
of policy with other means’
o War should never be thought of as something
autonomous, but always as an instrument of
policy
ECONOMY OF FORCE
▪ Commanders never leave any element without a
purpose. When the time comes to execute, all
elements should have tasks to perform.
o Economy of force requires accepting prudent risk
in selected areas to achieve superiority in the
PRINCIPLES OF WAR (WESTERN) – MOOE SUMS decisive operation.
o Economy of force involves the discriminating
PRINCIPLES OF WAR employment and distribution of forces.
▪ Enduring and authoritative principles that guide armed o Example: In World War I, the Schlieffen Plan
forces in the conduct of war depended on an economy of force effort in the
▪ Meant to be guidelines and not a catch-all to east in order to gain mass in the west.
predetermine activities
▪ Strict observance does not guarantee success while MANEUVER
violation does not guarantee failure ▪ As both an element of combat power and a principle of
▪ Critical for success is recognition of the right context war, maneuver concentrates and disperses combat
and condition for application (strategic, operational & power to place and keep the enemy at a disadvantage.
tactical art of leaders) It includes the dynamic, flexible application of
▪ British military officer J. F. C. Fuller developed a list of leadership, firepower, information, and protection etc.
principles based on the works of Clausewitz and Jomini o Achieves results that would otherwise be more
for use by the British Army in World War I costly
▪ The US Army modified them and published its first list o Keeps enemies off balance by making them
in 1921 confront new problems and new dangers faster
than they can deal with them.
o Example: The Battle of Red Cliffs was an example
of maneuver warfare by Zhou Yu and Zhuge
Liang.
UNITY OF COMMAND
▪ Unity of command means that a single commander
directs and coordinates the actions of all forces toward
a common objective.
o Develops the full combat power of a force
o Usually requires giving a single commander
authority
o Example: Eisenhower did an excellent job of
maintaining unity of effort among coalition forces
in World War II.
SECURITY
▪ Calculated risk is inherent in conflict. Security protects
and preserves combat power.
OBJECTIVE o Does not involve excessive caution
▪ When undertaking any mission, commanders should o Measures taken by a command to protect itself
have a clear understanding of the expected outcome from surprise, interference, sabotage,
and its impact. Commanders need to appreciate annoyance, and threat
political ends and understand how the military o Example: The French did not have adequate
conditions they achieve contribute to them. security in the Ardennes Forest when the
o Ensure that all actions contribute to the goals of Germans attacked in World War II.
the higher headquarters.
o Example: Ho Chi Minh’s objective in the Vietnam SURPRISE
War was the unification of North and South ▪ Surprise results from taking actions for which an
Vietnam under communist rule. enemy or adversary is unprepared.
o It is only necessary that the enemy become aware
OFFENSIVE too late to react effectively.
▪ Offensive operations are essential to maintain the o Contributions to surprise include speed,
freedom of action necessary for success, exploit information superiority, and asymmetry.
vulnerabilities, and react to rapidly changing situations o Example: The terrorist attack on September 11
and unexpected developments. depended on surprise.
o Offensive actions are those taken to dictate the
nature, scope, and tempo of an operation.
o Example: Rather than continue to defend at
Busan, MacArthur went on the offensive with
Operation Chromite (the Incheon landing) in
Korea.
ASYMMETRY
▪ Finding and exploiting the enemy’s soft spot
▪ Seek nodes of action in the opposite direction from the
contours of the balance of symmetry
▪ Mostly the weaker side selects as its main axis of battle
those areas or battle lines where its adversary does not
expect to be hit
▪ This is the only rule that encourages “breaking rules so
as to use the rules”
THE PRINCIPLES OF UNRESTRICTED WARFARE
▪ Case study on the First Gulf War written by PLAAF
MULTIDIMENSIONAL COORDINATION
Colonels Qiao Liang and Wang Xiangsui in 1999
▪ Similar to unity of action
▪ “Warfare which transcends all boundaries and limits”
▪ Coordination & cooperation among different forces in
▪ Key elements: new weapons, enlarged battlespace,
different dimensions, military/non-military, in order to
new warriors, and non-military operations
accomplish an objective
ADAPTABILITY (ADJUSTMENT)
▪ Adjustment and control of the entire process
▪ During the entire course of a war, from its start, through
its progress, to its conclusion, continually acquire
information, adjust action, and control the situation
REFERENCES
▪ Clausewitz, C.. (1976). On war. (M. Howard & P. Paret,
Trans.). Princeton, NJ.: Princeton University.
OMNIDIRECTIONALITY ▪ Cordova, R. (2019). “Understanding China’s Gray
▪ Combined use of all related factors Zone Strategy in the South China Sea: Defining
o Intent: use of all war resources to obtain a 360° Strategic Approaches for the Philippines”, Manila:
field of vision National Defense College of the Philippines.
o Policy level – use of nation’s entire combat power ▪ Qiao, L., and X. Wang. (1999). Unrestricted warfare:
o Strategic – use in warfare of national resources Two Air Force senior colonels on scenarios for war and
o Operational – use on a designated battlefield of the Operational Art in an era of globalization. Beijing:
various measures to attain campaign objectives PLA Literature and Arts Publishing House.
o Tactical – use of various kinds of ▪ Sun Tzu. (1994). The art of war. (R. D. Sawyer & M.
weapons/methods chiin L. Sawyer, Trans.). Boulder, CO: Westview
Press.
SYNCHRONY
▪ Actions in different domains at the same time
▪ Bringing key factors of warfare which are dispersed in
different spaces and different domains to bear in the
same, designated space or time
LIMITED OBJECTIVES
▪ “Goals must be smaller than the means”
▪ When setting objectives, give full consideration to the
feasibility of accomplishing them
▪ Do not pursue objectives which are unrestricted in time
and space
UNLIMITED MEASURES
▪ Unlimited means to attain goals
▪ Unlimited measures to accomplish limited objectives is
the ultimate boundary
▪ Employ measures beyond restrictions, beyond
boundaries, to accomplish limited objectives
◇ “the art of distributing and applying military Carl von Clausewitz- The talent of the strategist is to identify
means to fulfill the ends of policy” (Liddell Hart, the decisive point and to concentrate everything on it, removing
1967) forces from secondary fronts and ignoring lesser objectives.
Strategy Formulation
- the Strategy Formulation process
- Policy-Strategy connection
Strategic Level
◇ Level where the decision to go to war, set its (political)
objectives, victory conditions and conflict termination are
made
◇ At the grand strategic level, the military instrument is
employed in other conjunction with other instruments of
national power (politico-diplomatic, economic, informational)
◇ Military strategy is formulated & executed to directly achieve
the political objective of the war
◇ Responsibility resides in the political leadership & the
Armed Forces High Command
Operational Level
◇ Where various military operations (air, land, sea, cyber) are
conducted whose goal is to achieve the military objectives set
by the strategic level
◇ Military strategy is focused at the operational level through
the planning & execution of campaigns (joint or single service)
◇ The campaign provides the operational design that enables
tactical operations to achieve military objectives at the
strategic level
Tactical Level
◇ Battles or engagements fought by individual units serve as
building blocks for campaigns
Military Strategy: Go
◇ Conquest through encirclement
◇ Maneuver vs attrition
◇ Indirect attacks and psychological combat
◇ Features multiple battles over a wide front, rather than a
single decisive encounter
◇ Emphasizes long-term planning over quick tactical advantage