The Applicability of the Effects-Based Approach for Planning at the Different Levels of War
Abstract
The vast technological advantage United States forces enjoy over competitors has led to several beliefs among theorists regarding the changes occurring in the application of military power. Many believe the fact that the United States has no current peer competitor allows it to further exploit technological advantages to the point of changing the very nature of war. The emerging construct of effects-based approach to operations, when applied at the higher end of the full spectrum of warfare, may prove too limited for use by Joint planners at the strategic-operational level. This construct hinges on an unrealistic knowledge of the enemy and an assumption that the nature of future war is predisposed to solutions resulting from the precision application of military power with minimal casualties and destruction. This contrasts against classic theorists' ideas about the nature of war. Prussian theorist Von Clausewitz wrote about a pervasive and enduring friction in war, but modern theorists believe technology provides the means of overcoming friction. Another faulty assumption is that a future peer competitor will not be able to negate U.S. technological superiority; a cornerstone of assumed information dominance and key to effects-based approaches. From its origins, it is apparent effects-based operations represent at their essence a targeteering approach to warfare. It is particularly useful at the tactical level, where attacking various components of an enemy's structurally complex infrastructure proves successful. There is an understandable logic in selecting not all potential targets, but only those that if neutralized or destroyed will cause a cascading, crippling effect across the enemy's system.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 02, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA468810
Entities
People
- Timothy S. Mundy
Organizations
- National Defense University