Principles of Joint Operations

and Tenets of Airpower

“The military student does not seek to learn from
history the minutiae of method and technique…
but research does bring to light those
fundamental principles, and their combination
and applications, which, in the past, have
produced success.”
- General Douglas MacArthur
 Overview

• Principles of Joint Operations

• Tenets of Airpower
• Activity
 Principles of War

• Unity of Command • Economy of Force

• Objective • Security
• Offensive • Surprise
• Mass • Simplicity
• Maneuver
 Principles of War

• Mass • Maneuver
• Objective • Offensive
• Security • Unity of Command
• Surprise • Simplicity
• Economy of Force

M.O.S.S. M.O.U.S.E.
 Unity of Command

• Ensures concentration of effort for every

objective under one responsible commander
• Single commander w/authority and capability
to direct all force employment
• All efforts should be directed and coordinated
toward common objective
 Objective

• Direct military ops toward a defined and

attainable objective that contributes to
strategic, operational, and tactical aims.
• Clear National Military Strategy for defining
campaign objectives
 Offensive

• Purpose of an offensive action is to seize,

retain, and exploit the initiative.
• Acting vs Reacting
• Seize initiative ASAP

Shock and Awe the initial bombing of Baghdad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NktsxucDvNI
 Mass

• To concentrate the effects of combat power

at the most advantageous place and time to
achieve decisive results
• Airman/Guardian perspective – also achieves
mass through effectiveness of attack
 Maneuver

• Places enemy in a position of disadvantage

through the flexible application of combat
power
• Strategic positioning of capabilities that bring
airpower within striking distance of adversaries

The Maginot Line

 Economy of Force

• The judicious employment and distribution

of forces
• Selecting best mix of air, space, and
cyberspace capabilities
 Security

• To never permit the enemy to acquire

unexpected advantage
• Airman/Guardian perspective – maintain
distance physically and virtually
 Surprise

• Attacking the enemy at a time, place, or in a

manner for which they are not prepared
• Ex: Operation DESERT STORM and
Operation EL DORADO CANYON
 Simplicity

• Avoiding unnecessary complexity in

organizing, preparing, planning, and
conducting military operations
• Guidance, plans, & orders simple and direct
 Principles of Joint Operations

• Restraint
• Perseverance
• Legitimacy
• Unity of Effort
 Restraint

• Prevent the excessive use of force

• Careful & disciplined balance of security
needs, military necessities, and the mission
 Perseverance

• Ensure commitment necessary to achieve

strategic objectives
• Preparation for protracted and enduring
operations and/or campaigns
 Legitimacy

• Maintain legal and moral authority

• Perceptions matter regarding: legality,
morality, rightness of actions
 Unity of Effort

• Ensuring wide range of agencies coordinate

their resources to focus on the same goal
• AF-specific “addition” to Principles of Joint
Operations
 Principles vs Tenets

• The principles of joint operations provide

general guidance on the application of
military forces
• The tenets of airpower provide more
specific considerations for the employment
of airpower
 Tenets of Airpower

• Mission Command
• Flexibility and Versatility
• Synergistic Effects
• Persistence
• Concentration
• Priority
• Balance
 Mission Command

• Approach to C2 that empowers subordinate

decision-making
– Provides flexibility, initiative, and responsiveness
in the accomplishment of commander’s intent
• Principles of Mission Command:
– Build teams through trust
– Create shared understanding
– Provide clear commander’s intent
– Use mission-type orders (MTOs) when appropriate
– Exercise disciplined initiative
– Accept prudent risk
 Mission Command (cont’d)

• Executed through:
– Centralized Command: the standard for effective and
efficient means of employing airpower (i.e., one air
component commander)
– Distributed Control: enables delegation of planning
and coordination activities (contested environments may
require greater degree of distributed control)
– Decentralized Execution: delegates authority to
achieve effective span of control, foster disciplined
initiative, and empower subordinates to exploit fleeting
opportunities (i.e., tactical-level units empowered through
MTOs to execute commander’s intent)
 Flexibility & Versatility
• Flexibility
• Allows airpower to exploit mass and maneuver
simultaneously
• Versatility
• Ability to employ airpower effectively at the
strategic, operational, and tactical levels of war and
provide a variety of tasks
with other forces
• Related Principles of War
• Mass
• Maneuver
 Synergistic Effects

• Coordinated force across multiple domains

can produce effects that exceed the
contributions of forces employed individually

• Related Principles
of War
• Offensive
• Mass
• Maneuver
 Persistence

• Speed and range allow its forces to visit and

revisit wide ranges of targets nearly at will
• Can occupy terrain or remain in close proximity
• Space systems provide persistent overhead
access
• Related Principles
of War
• Offensive
• Security
• Surprise
 Concentration

• Concentrate overwhelming power at the

decisive time and place
• Related Principles of War
• Mass
• Economy of Force
 Priority

• Establish clear priorities for use of airpower

• Prioritize requirements since demands will
likely exceed available resources
• Related Principles
of War
• Mass
• Economy of Force
• Offensive
 Balance

• Dynamic and correct balancing of the

principles of joint operations and the tenets
of airpower to bring DAF capabilities
together to produce synergistic effects
• Balance offensive and defensive air ops
• Related Principles of War
• Economy of Force
• Offensive
Activity
 Summary

• Principles of Joint Operations

• Tenets of Airpower
• Activity