Targeting Flashcards
Describe Target Vetting and Validation
Vetting assesses the accuracy of the supporting intelligence to establish a reasonable level of confidence in a target’s functional characterization
Validation ensures all vetted targets meet the objectives and criteria outlined in the commander’s guidance, and ensures compliance with the law of war (LOW) and rules of engagement (ROE)
Both are a key part of target development. Both reduce risk in identification of inappropriate/illegitimate targets.
Define and describe the purpose of BDA
BDA: the estimate of target damage or effect which is based on physical damage assessment, change assessment, functional damage assessment, and target system assessment, resulting from the application of lethal and nonlethal capabilities.
BDA is conducted post operations to evaluate the effects of the actions conducted on the target. It facilitates advising the CDR on the Measures of Effectiveness and the Measures of Performance.
Define and describe CDE. Why is it important at all levels?
CDE: unintended or incidental damage to persons or objects which are not lawful targets
Conducted before operations to prepare the CDR for all possible effects of potential COAs. This allows the CDR to plan for potential outcomes, prepare an Information Operation to mitigate effects, or plan alternative COAs.
Importance at varying levels:
- ODA: it allows the CDR to generate IO.
- Higher: allows for CDRs to predict effects of large signature strikes to predict blast radius and related damage.
- President: helps to determine if actioning a target is worth the predicted outcomes.
What are the responsibilities of the SOLE?
- Provide JSOTF/ARSOF combat plan to JFACC/JAOC.
- Coordinate JSOTF/ARSOF requests for air support.
- Synchronizes maneuver and fires by exchanging operational and intelligence data.
- De-conflict airspace requirements
- Integrate ADA with defensive counter-air
- Provide feedback on the air war to JSOTF
What are the roles of the SOLE?
- Critical to integrating the JSOTF/ARSOF commander’s targeting needs with the Joint Force
- ARSOFs LNO to the JFACC
- Located at Air Ops Center (AOC)
- Not a decision maker!
What are the positive effects of targeting management?
Offensive Operations
- Applies constant pressure on the Adversary Operational Cycle
- Neutralizes when necessary in order to achieve mid to long term affects
Precision Targeting
- Develops an adaptive offensive strategy that is effects based and applies operational patience for higher gains
- Minimizes collateral disruption among the populace and creates IO opportunities
- Demonstrates an offensive presence that demoralizes the enemy and discourages potential recruits
Other
- Identifies intelligence gaps
- Prioritizes and synergizes operational effort
**Long term implication: Allows forces to Identify, Target, and Destroy cells and networks.
What are the Army Targeting Guidelines?
- Focused on achieving the commander’s objectives.
- Fully developed TVA (Target Value Analysis)
- Collection Management that is developed in conjunction with friendly COA
- Creates specific desired effects through lethal and nonlethal actions. Effects Based
- Target Taxonomy
- CDE
- Incorporate IO planner into COADEV
- Targeting is a command function that requires the participation of many disciplines. Interdisciplinary
- Facilitated through FUSION meetings
- Fully understanding of available assets
- Fully developed collection management
- Targeting seeks to achieve effects through lethal and nonlethal actions in a systematic manner.
- Fully Developed TVA
- Fully developed Collection Management to include cueing, redundancy, mix and integration.
- Prioritized HPTL
- Targeting directs lethal and nonlethal actions to create desired effects.
- Synchronization of all available assets
- Facilitated through FUSION meetings
HPTs detected
Define TVA. What are the steps?
The Target Value Analysis process identifies potential HVT sets associated with critical enemy functions that could interfere with the friendly COA or that are key to enemy success.
- ID threat(s)
- Analyze the threat(s) – ID critical:
- Capabilities (CCs)
- Requirements (CRs)
- Vulnerable (CVs) - ID High Value Targets (HVTs) & develop the HVTL (1st CARVER)
- Conduct a detailed analysis of the friendly COA (COA Analysis)
- Analyze the HVTL & ID High Payoff Targets (HPTs)
- Develop HPT List (2nd CARVER)
Compare and contrast COG and TGT Taxonomy
COG analysis and TGT Taxonomy are alike in that they both break down the target down to its lowest component, CV for COG and Critical Element for TGT Taxonomy.Both produce HVTs during threat analysis.
They are different in that COG analysis is best used for conceptual targets/threats and TGT taxonomy is best used for Physical targets/threats.
What is TGT Taxonomy?
Establishes terms of reference to effectively deconstruct an adversary into its understandable (smallest) parts.
A TTTT C
- Adversary
- Target System
- Target System Component
- Target
- Target element/Critical Element
- Critical Damage Point
List and describe steps 1-3 of the Joint Targeting Cycle.
- End State and CDR’s Objectives
- Determines desired/undesired effects
- Sets targeting priorities
- Specifies damage criteria
- Sets collection requirements
- Establishes restrictions - Target Development and Prioritization
- Entails systematic evaluation of potential target systems (TSA)
- Entity-level target development
- Vetting and validation
- Target list management, starting with the CTL and moving to the RTL, NSL, and JTL>NTL>JIPTL - Capabilities Analysis
- Target Vulnerability Analysis: Produces CVs
- Capabilities Assignment: Produces Asset Target Interactions (ATI)
- Feasibility Assessment: Evaluates feasibility of ATIs
- Effects estimate: 1st-3rd order effects of feasible ATIs
List and describe steps 4-6 of the Joint Targeting Cycle.
- CDR’s Decision and Force Assignment: Integrates previous phases of JTC and fuses capabilities analysis with available forces, sensors, and weapons systems
- Consolidate Target Development and Capabilities Analysis Results
- Assemble Data on Friendly Force Status
- Assign Forces to Specific Targets and Supporting Missions
- Present Joint Targeting Recommendations to the JFC for Approval
- Issue Tasking Orders to Forces - Mission Planning and Force Execution: Performed at operational and tactical levels
- JFC’s staff maintains awareness of ongoing operations
- Component staffs conduct Mission Command and monitor execution
- Tasked units perform detailed mission planning and conduct their assigned missions
- Target Engagement Authority (TEA) is assigned to direct fires against approved targets. CDE level will dictate the appropriate TEA. - Assessment
MOP/MOEs allow CDRs to adjust operations to ensure objectives are met and end state is achieved. Includes BDA, Munitions effectiveness assessment, and, Re-attack recommendation
What are MOPs and MOEs? Give an example.
Measure of Performance:
- “Are we doing things right?”
- Measures task completion
- “What” in the mission statement
Measure of effectiveness:
- “Are we doing the right things?”
- Measures meeting intended purpose
- “Why” in the Mission Statement
Example: Dropping a bomb on an IED maker IOT disrupt IED attacks in a AO. MOP would use criteria for BDA and CDE to assess the success of the strike. MOE would use criteria to assess the reduction of IED attacks over time.
Define Deliberate Targets and list two types.
Targets known to exist in the operational environment, upon which actions are planned using deliberate targeting, creating effects which support commander’s objectives.
Scheduled targets are prosecuted at a specific time.
On-call targets are planned and initiated with a trigger, not at a specific time
What is a JTL?
A Joint Target List is a consolidated list of selected targets, upon which there are no restrictions placed, considered to have military significance in the joint force commander’s operational area
