Whither Capabilities-based Planning?
Abstract
The 2001 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) Report heralded a "paradigm shift in force planning," announcing that "the new defense strategy is built around the concept of shifting to a 'capabilities- based' approach to defense." Since then, the 2005 National Defense Strategy and 2006 QDR have reaffirmed this approach, and major changes in processes and organizations have been undertaken throughout the Department of Defense (DOD) to implement capabilities- based planning (CBP). In light of such prominent endorsements of CBP and the bureaucratic upheaval it has wrought, it is remarkable that no official definition of the concept exists. But there are probably as many definitions in the Pentagon as there are phone numbers, and debate continues over just what the concept is, as well as whether it is appropriate or even feasible as a framework for defense planning and decision making. The persistence of these debates raises fundamental questions: What is CBP? Is DOD in the midst of a revolution in force planning, or is CBP a hollow concept destined only to proliferate PowerPoint slides? This article argues that CBP is neither revolutionary nor hollow but is rather a label for a few simple ideas that could generate significant improvements in DOD management. At the same time, its virtues are at risk of getting lost in sloganeering. Perhaps like transformation, CBP's simple ideas may become victims of their own rhetorical success. Its successful implementation will depend on a more precise understanding of goals and limitations than has been articulated to date. This article aims to separate what is essential about CBP from what is not and identify the challenges to its implementation. A Simple Concept Capabilities-based planning traces its roots to the days immediately following the Cold War, as defense planners began to think about the implications of a radically altered security environment.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2007
- Accession Number
- ADA517897
Entities
People
- Michael R Fitzsimmons
Organizations
- National Defense University