Operational art does not confine itself to any level or war, echelon, or type of objective. Since operational art is a cognitive process, it exists wherever one thinks about solving problems of military operations. It is a cognitive and creative process that produces, “…innovative, adaptive options to solve complex problems.” It is the artistic creative process applied to military operations.
#The operational art of war iv steam full
More simply JP 3-0 Joint Operations, says, “Operational art is the use of creative thinking by commanders….” JP 3-0’s discussion of operational art is full of cognitive phrases such as, “broad vision,” “order their thoughts,” “understand conditions,” and “judgement and decisions.” A critical reading of JP 3-0 makes it clear that operational art is about thinking – at any level. Joint doctrine defines operational art as, “The cognitive approach by commanders and staffs - supported by their skill, knowledge, experience, creativity, and judgment - to develop strategies, campaigns, and operations to organize and employ military forces by integrating ends, ways, and means…”. However, we can fix it, and the first step is to understand what operational art and the operational level are, and more importantly, how they differ. They both comingle the concepts in a confusing soup full of faulty semantics and contradictions. Army Doctrinal Publication (ADP) 3-0 Unified Land Operations and its companion piece, Army Reference Publication (ADRP) 3-0 Unified Land Operations.
However, it isn’t obvious, and unfortunately, service versus joint agendas, and faulty logic, enabled by compromises, made its way into both U.S. One is thinking about solving problems, and the other is a function that bridges the gap between strategic objectives and tactical actions. However, if you receive strategic objectives and must determine what arrangement of tactical actions will achieve those objectives, you are at the operational level of war, regardless of echelon. My argument is, if you are thinking about solving strategic, operational, or tactical problems, you are applying operational art, regardless of your level. This blurring introduces a difference and friction between Army and joint doctrine, and this reduces precision in the application of operational art. Army doctrine, turns them into synonyms without any distinction. However, when we add the modifier, ‘operational’ to them, U.S. The former is a creative process, the latter, is a location. No one argues that, art and level are synonyms. Can they both be right or must one be wrong? I will argue that ADRP 3-0 is and wrong and incorrectly merges operational art and the operational level of war. However, if you picked paragraph two, you recognized the Army’s ADRP 3-0 discussion of operational art. You might argue that paragraph two is flat out wrong. If you picked paragraph one, you probably agree with joint doctrine’s use of the terms. One suggests a difference between the terms the other does not.
The second paragraph makes no distinction and only uses the term operational art. The first paragraph uses both terms and makes a distinction between them.
#The operational art of war iv steam series
Without operational art, tactical actions devolve into a series of disconnected engagements that do not accomplish the mission or objectives of the joint force.” Ī critical reader will notice the only difference between the two is the use of the terms operational art and the operational level of war. Bridging this continuum requires creative vision coupled with broad experience and knowledge. Paragraph 2: “Operational art spans a continuum-from comprehensive strategic direction to concrete tactical actions. Without the operational level of war, tactical actions devolve into a series of disconnected engagements that do not accomplish the mission or objectives of the joint force.” Bridging this continuum requires operational art which is creative vision coupled with broad experience and knowledge. Paragraph 1: “The operational level of war spans a continuum-from comprehensive strategic direction to concrete tactical actions. Operational Art and the Operational Level of War, are they Synonymous? Well It Depends.