AFDD 2-1.9, page 106

96 APPENDIX B FEDERATED SUPPORT TO TARGETING AND ASSESSMENT INTRODUCTION Targeting and assessment requirements are typically more than theaters can support internally, due to deficiencies in manpower and specialized expertise. Thus, in practice, targeting is federated among many different organizations—in the theater, in the US, and worldwide. The COMAFFOR may have direct authority over some units, but will not have control over other targeting organizations. It is therefore crucial that theater strategists, planners, and targeteers develop the necessary relationships with these units and organizations during peacetime so that intelligence support to targeting and assessment will flow smoothly during contingencies. While theater targeting units can seldom, if ever, directly task federated organizations, they can develop working relationships through which these organizations can provide support the theater needs. The key to an effective federation system is knowing the capabilities of the various units and organizations—Air Force, joint, and national—that can be called upon for support. There are many organizations that can and do produce intelligence and other information useful to theater targeting and assessment efforts. Such expertise has always been important, but it is essential for an effects-based approach to conflict, which relies on greater SA, more comprehensive planning, and deeper knowledge of the adversary than an attrition-based approach does. CAOC strategists, planners, targeteers, and intelligence analysts are generalists in the sense that they must have knowledge of a wide variety of weapon, target, and political systems. Federated targeting organizations have specialists with extensive knowledge on specific target systems in specific nations. Utilizing this expertise is absolutely necessary if targeteers are to conduct effective target development that imposes the specific effects chosen by planners to achieve commanders’ objectives. There are many kinds of information available to support targeting and assessment efforts. Traditional approaches to both have emphasized imagery intelligence—usually overhead imagery from satellites and reconnaissance aircraft. While imagery is We [at United States Strategic Command] provided federated intelligence support to multiple regional combatant commands, conducting battle damage assessment and intelligence analysis, and leading the intelligence community-wide effort to find and characterize underground facilities in Afghanistan. —Admiral James Ellis Commander, United States Strategic Command Remarks to the House Armed Services Committee, 13 Mar 03