Defeating Future Urban Insurgencies: Adapting Operational Design to the Emergent Reality
Abstract
Within the context of emerging operational art within modern insurgencies and increasing global urbanization, there needs to be a mechanism at the operational level that can "tune in" to the dynamics at play reflecting the nature of networked systems, such as the counterpoints of order-randomness, structure- agency, and strategy- impulse, as well as their ability to learn and adapt. Modern Operational Art confronting an insurgent threat must 1) develop a more holistic and thorough understanding of urban insurgencies, 2) leverage operational and tactical learning within a combined, joint and interagency response, and 3) promote an environment of adaptation, innovation or change within campaign design in order to tailor "forms of function" to achieve desired strategic and tactical results. Systemic Operational Design (SOD) seeks to replace the classical elements of operational design (CEOD) through the incorporation of Systems Theory and development of a learning organization at the strategic-operational level of war. The learning dimension within SOD enables the operational level commander to lead and take action utilizing the entire spectrum of a combined, joint, interagency response; understand the dynamics of individual networks or systems and the dynamics on these leading to insights regarding emergent behavior; and reframe his understanding and vision of the system in congruence with the strategic endstate.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 30, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA507244
Entities
People
- Douglas J. Macintyre
Organizations
- Marine Corps University