Perform Effectively In An Operational Environment Flashcards
Types of environments
- strategic environment
- operational environment
In short: all of the conditions and influences that affect where soldiers will live, work, train and fight
What is an operational environment?
COMPOSITE OF THE CONDITIONS, CIRCUMSTANCES AND INFLUENCES that affect the employment of capabilities and bear on the decisions of the cdr
What is the strategic environment
The global environment in which the PODUS employs all the elements of national power (diplomatic, informational, military and economic)
What are the operational variables
Any OE in the real world or in training environment can be defined in terms of the 8 operational variables
- political
- military
- economics
- social
- information
- infrastructure
- physical environment
- time
The army campaign plan identifies what?
5 main characteristics of the complex OE that are likely to impact land force operations in the future
What are the 5 main characteristics ID’d by the army campaign plan?
- increased velocity and momentum of human interaction and events
- potential for overmatch
- proliferation of WMD
- spread of advanced cyberspace and counter space capabilities
- demographics and operations among populations in cities and complex terrain
what is: - increased velocity and momentum of human interaction and events
Meeting the challenge of increased momentum will require the army to integrate momentum will require the army to integrate capabilities in Time, space and purpose
- to adapt quickly to momentum shifts
What is: - potential for overmatch
Overmatch is the application of adversary capabilities or unique tactics w intent to prevent or mitigate U.S. forces tactics or equipment
What is: - proliferation of WMD
Solving future WMD challenges require ground forces that have the ability to endure for considerable amounts of time in inhospitable conditions
What is: - spread of advanced cyberspace and counter space capabilities
The cyber and space domains will take on added importance in future
What is: - demographics and operations among populations in cities and complex terrain
With urbanization, the Army will need to operate for sustained periods among populations
What does multi-domain warfare mean?
Multi-domain warfare includes but is not limited to physical areas of:
- air
- land
- maritime
- space
- cyberspace
Also includes information environment (including cyberspace) the electromagnetic spectrum (EMS), and other factors
What are the range of military operations?
Least to worst
Military engagement, security, Cooperation and deterrence
->
Crisis Response and Limited contingency operations
->
Large-scale combat operations
What are the levels of nation-state actors?
Core states (inner core) - US, UK, France etc
Transition states (wanna be) - russia, china, india
Rogue states (hostile) - n korea, iran, cuba, lybia, syria, venezuela
Failed or failing states
- somalia, hatia, kosovo, afghanistan, darfur, liberia
Are nation state actors locked into their roles?
Countries can switch categories or joint together to become an even larger threat (greatest threat for peer competitor)
What are non-state/rogue actors?
- Terrorist
- Insurgents
- Drug-traffickers
- Criminals
What are third party actors?
May not be openly hostile to U.S. forces but can disrupt or negatively affect our ability to accomplish the mission as they require assets to either provide security or monitor their actions
May be:
- armed
- hospital (due to specific agenda)
Why must US forces understand the motivations of humanitarian relief organizations?
To avoid diverting troops and resources from their assigned mission to conduct rescue or provide security and possibly increase levels of conflict
- also to reduce force protection asset depletion
While non-hostile they often get in the way
How are transnational corporations involved?
They will complicate the OE because they are in the country for a variety of reasons
- research and development
- infrastructure build/restore
- enhance a countries security
- conduct business w/in the countries
Their motivations may not be charitable, they may try to promote their own economic gain
When can private security forces be an advisary?
Their services are for hire so they may be hired by corporations or criminals
Combatant organizations can be armed or unarmed. Give some examples of both
Armed:
- internal security forces
- insurgents
- guerrila
- Private security
- criminal organizations
Unarmed
- media
- active supporters
- coerced or unwitting
- lookouts
- leaders
- transporters
Define noncombatant
An individual in an area of combat operations, who is not armed and is not participating in any activity in support of any of the factions or forces involved in combat (FM 1-02)
How are non-combatants broken down?
Armed non-combatants
- PSO
- Locals
- criminals (neutral)
Unarmed
- medical
- media
- humanitarian
- transnational corporations
- displaced persons
What is a hybrid threat?
Diverse and dynamic combinations of two or more regular and/or irregular forces (conventional or unconventional), or criminal elements that are distinctly different in nature, but unified in purpose or effect
In short: 2+ different enemies joint together to fight the U.S.
What are some EW/Space considerations?
We are very reliant on our technology
- terrain, jamming (crude and real) decrease our effectiveness
- even worse for civilian non-encrypted devices (contractors) are more vulnerable
Bottom line:
The US Army must be prepare to:
- go into any OE
- perform its mission
- do so in the face of various possible threats and actors
- deal with non-combatant population in dense urban terrain
