Multi-Domain Battle has a clear origin. Stemming from the sentiment that disruptive technologies volition alter the grapheme of warfare, it recognizes that the way armies volition care as well as win wars volition also change. It also reflects the wishing to replicate the success of AirLand Battle, which is arguably the most important example of developing a concept as well as thus materializing capabilities across the DOTMLPF spectrum (Doctrine, Organization, Training, Material, Leadership Education, Personnel, as well as Facilities). Origin stories constitute the foundation from which lasting ideas emerge. However, for ideas to cause got a lasting touching they must evolve. For Multi-Domain Battle at that spot are 2 things driving the demand to evolve the concept.
First, ideas must evolve to ensure alignment amongst the strategic direction of the corporation they serve. The 2018 National Defense Strategy lays out the missions, emerging operational environments, advances inward technology, as well as anticipated enemy, threat, as well as adversary capabilities that the Department of Defense envisions for the foreseeable future. It provides direction for how the articulation forcefulness must evolve to compete, deter, as well as win inward futurity armed conflict. To this end, Multi-Domain Battle must reverberate this strategy.
Second, when I took the reins of USA Army Training as well as Doctrine Command, I was specifically directed to “operationalize Multi-Domain Battle” past times edifice upon the foundation created past times my predecessor as well as accelerating its application. And what I found was an incredible foundation. Gen. Dave Perkins brought together partners across the articulation force, driving evolution of the concept to an articulated sentiment as well as a vision of how the regular army fits into it. The key players are all hither as well as are committed to edifice as well as improving the concept as well as finding existent solutions. The concept is ready to grow.
But for that to happen, nosotros demand to appear upward to a greater extent than or less of the problems others cause got noted. Over the concluding 18 months that Multi-Domain Battle has been out at that spot for debate, at that spot cause got been 4 consistent critiques. Some noted that the sentiment was “old wine inward a new bottle.” I recall the iPhone analogy articulates why that only isn’t true. What the master copy iPhone did wasn’t all that new, but how the iPhone did it fundamentally changed non only a market, but people’s behavior. This is precisely what nosotros essay to arrive at amongst this novel concept. Though the domains of warfare (air, land, sea, space, as well as cyberspace) are non new, how the USA armed forces volition apace as well as continuously integrate them inward the futurity is new.
Another critique is that this is an Army-only concept. However the Air Force as well as Marine Corps cause got been business office of MDB from the start as well as recent reporting from numerous forums has made clear the Army’s wishing to listen, learn, as well as include our articulation as well as multinational partners inward the evolution of this idea. Recently the Navy as well as the Joint Staff cause got also joined the discussion.
Albert Palazzo’s serial of articles inward the autumn of 2017 seat out a clear argument. To live successful, Multi-Domain Battle must translate into radical effects on the USA military’s culture. The concept must forcefulness us to reconsider key tenets, similar our industrial-age way of promoting, training, as well as educating leaders. It must also describe us from the comfort of our tactical-level trenches to develop capabilities that inform upward to the strategic degree of war. Putting “battle” into the scream both confines the possibilities as well as limits the result.
In battles, combatants tin post away win fourth dimension as well as infinite as well as they permit i side to accept basis but they produce non win wars. The basis nosotros operate inward today is non defined past times battles, but past times persistent contest that cycles through varying rates inward as well as out of armed conflict. Winning inward contest is non accomplished past times winning battles, but through executing integrated operations as well as campaigning. Operations are to a greater extent than encompassing, bringing together varied tactical actions amongst a mutual usage or unifying themes. They are the brace betwixt the tactical as well as the strategic.
In my starting fourth dimension months of ascendency at Training as well as Doctrine Command, it became clear that the usage of the tidings “battle” was stifling conversation as well as increment of the concept. There are iii concrete reasons why Multi-Domain Battle evolved to Multi-Domain Operations.
First, if the concept is to live genuinely articulation as well as multi-service, nosotros demand clarity as well as alignment inward how nosotros talk. The Air Force talks of Multi-Domain Operations as well as Multi-Domain Command as well as Control, spell nosotros speak of Multi-Domain Battle—often roofing similar, if non the same, ideas as well as capabilities. To this point, none of the many people I cause got talked to, including my predecessor, are wedded to the usage of “battle”—it was what fit best inward time, place, as well as circumstances. What they are committed to are the ideas of converging capabilities across the articulation forcefulness amongst continuous integration across multiple domains.
Second, nosotros cannot produce this alone. The armed services tin post away win battles as well as campaigns, but winning wars takes the whole of government. It helps the entire endeavour if our interagency partners are comfortable amongst as well as conversant inward our warfighting concepts as well as doctrine. As highlighted to me past times a onetime ambassador at a recent forum, talking inward damage of operations instead of battles brings together those who wishing to acquire things done—whether they are civilians or the military.
And third, it is never only almost the fight. When it comes to combat, at that spot is no i ameliorate than the combined weight of the USA military machine as well as our allies as well as partners. However, the operating surroundings is evolving as well as nation-state–level contest has re-emerged, equally evidenced past times recent actions past times both Russian Federation as well as China. Our National Defense Strategy highlights the importance of winning the “competition” that precedes as well as follows conflict. However, our usage of “Multi-Domain Battle” seemed to signal our concept was only for the conflict phase. While at that spot are battles inside competition, winning them is pointless if they are inward isolation to the larger context of deliberate operations supporting national strategy.
Multi-Domain Battle served its purpose—it sparked thinking as well as ground as well as it created a foundation. But what nosotros demand forthwith is Multi-Domain Operations, as well as the side past times side revision of the concept to live released this autumn volition reverberate this change.
Language is important. It conveys meaning. This alter is non cosmetic—it is almost growing an sentiment to its greatest potential inward social club to alter the way nosotros care today as well as ensure overmatch against our adversaries of tomorrow. To produce this nosotros demand clarity as well as alignment across the articulation force, whole-of-government inclusion, as well as perspective that reinforces our demand to compete effectively exterior periods of armed conflict. Changing the scream does non produce this past times itself, but it communicates a clear vision of what nosotros demand to accomplish as well as where nosotros are headed.
Gen. Stephen Townsend is the Commanding General of USA Army Training as well as Doctrine Command. He previously served equally commander of 18th Airborne Corps as well as Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve. His combat as well as operational experience includes deployments inward back upward of Operation Urgent Fury, Operation Just Cause, Operation Uphold Democracy, Operation Enduring Freedom, as well as Operation Iraqi Freedom. He is a graduate of North Georgia College, amongst a Bachelor of Science inward Psychology, as well as the USA Army War College, amongst a Master of Strategic Studies.
Non-DoD plant as well as authors cited inward this article are meant to inform the conversation on the topic. Their appearance inward this article does non reverberate the official policy or seat of, or constitute endorsement of their operate by, USA Army Training as well as Doctrine Command, the Department of the Army, DoD, or the USA Government.
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