Determining Operational Objectives

Authors

• Milan Vego, U.S. Naval War CollegeFollow

Abstract

Full knowledge and understanding of the true meaning of operational objectives are the main prerequisites for sound planning and execution of major operations A major operations (on land, at sea, in the air) is aimed at accomplishing a single operational objective. They can be conducted predominantly by a single service or two or more services. A campaign in a high-intensity conventional war consists of a series of related major/joint operations (on land, in the air, at sea) plus numerous tactical actions aimed to achieve a single military- or theater-strategic objective. Yet despite their importance, relatively little attention is given by theorists and in doctrinal documents on what constitutes an operational objective. In the recent decades, there is tendency in the U.S. military to consider some elements of a major operation, and even purely political activities as an operational objective. For instance, it is a stretch to consider actions not involving use of lethal force, such as “alerting,” “posturing” or “deploying forces” or purely political actions, such as “securing regional and international support” are not proper operational objective. A military- or theater-strategic objective could not be accomplished by a single act. It must be divided into several intermediate –operational-- objectives. The accomplishment of any operational objective requires the use of lethal force and should result in a drastic (radical) change of the situation in a given theater of operations. For example, the Allied capture of Guadalcanal in the Lower Solomons on 09 February 1944 was an operational objective that drastically changed the situation in Southern Pacific Ocean Area (theater of operations).