Beyond Utility Targeting: Toward Axiological Air Operations
Abstract
A hot topic in aerospace discussions today is targeting -- what, where, how, and when to do it to achieve the desired effects. This article argues that today the dominant mechanism and measurement for targeting is industrial-age utility and that in the future an equally important method should be targeting based on adversary leaders' values, depriving or holding at risk their ability to fulfill human needs. Our hypothesis is a simple one. We argue that today the dominant mechanism and measurement for targeting is industrial-age (or "second wave") utility and that in the information-age (or "third wave") future, an equally important method should be targeting based on value. Today we target infrastructure to deny warfighting utility. Tomorrow we should target to deprive leaders of the capacity to meet their needs: things that leaders must value.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA517218
Entities
People
- Peter W. Wuninga
- Richard Szafranski