Rapid Decisive Operations (RDO): A Case Study Analysis

Abstract

Does Rapid Decisive Operations (RDO) represent a revolutionary approach that differs from the way the United States has executed other small scale contingencies in the past? Does it offer value-added worth investment as the new Joint Doctrinal Concept to implement Joint Vision 2020? This document used two small scale contingencies, Operation Just Cause (Panama) and Operation Allied Force (Kosovo), to answer these two questions. Each operation was analyzed using three criteria: geo-strategic factors, friendly and enemy capabilities and limitations, and application of the four elements of national power (diplomatic, informational, military, and economic - DIME). The outcomes of these case studies were evaluated against the outcomes desired by successful RDO. The conclusions are that RDO is a useful concept for experimentation of future joint concepts but not the tool to fully operationalize JV 2020. The strength of RDO lies not in applying the complete concept to only high-end' small scale contingencies, but to extract many of the RDO sub-component concepts to full spectrum joint operations.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 09, 2002
Accession Number
ADA401852

Entities

People

  • Brian P. Stephenson

Organizations

  • United States Army War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agreements
  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Aircrafts
  • Armored Personnel Carriers
  • Combat Operations
  • Command And Control
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Governments
  • Information Operations
  • Interagency Coordination
  • International Law
  • Lessons Learned
  • Military Organizations
  • United States
  • War Colleges
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Economics
  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.