AFDD 2-1.9, page 32

22 categories, but contains another important insight: leadership and control mechanisms (usually depicted as the central ring) are always a COG and almost always yield useful targets as analysis expands into target development. The two most common variations on this technique are the five-ring model (using the rings specified above) and similar seven-ring “national elements of value” model. Another common technique begins with the COG as a source of power, identifies the inherent abilities that allow it to act as such (“critical capabilities”), identifies the essential conditions, resources, or means (“critical requirements”) that allow the critical capabilities to operate, and then determines where those critical requirements are vulnerable (“critical vulnerabilities”). While it can sometimes be difficult to pick critical vulnerabilities from critical requirements or translate the former into explicit target sets, target system and nodal analysis performed during target development can help “operationalize” this technique’s insights. JAOP Development. Operations are built from the top down, starting with the end state, leading to objectives at the highest levels, determining subordinate objectives needed to support those, then determining the effects needed to accomplish the objectives, and finally determining the actions necessary to create those effects. This stage and its ultimate product, the JAOP, describe how air and space forces will support the CFC’s campaign plan. The JAOP identifies objectives, desired effects, targets, and assessment measures in as much detail as available time and intelligence allow. Objectives and the end state are products of commander’s guidance, strategy development and planning, and while targeting efforts must always aim toward achieving them, they are not determined through the targeting process itself. Targeting is integral to JAOP development and deliberate targeting is used to help determine and develop target sets and targets included in the JAOP and its attachments (which may include full ATOs for the first day[s] of the conflict). Even if targeting information developed during planning is not included in the JAOP or its attachments, JAOP development requires considerable targeting effort in order to validate selected COAs, CONOPS, and other elements of the plan. Commanders and planners must know, at least approximately, how much effort and what resources are required to achieve the campaign’s desired effects. The only way to learn this is to conduct some (at least notional) deliberate targeting well before the conflict begins. Target selection should be based upon desired effects against enemy COGs, which in turn should be based upon the objectives for the conflict. The JAOP should be effects-based. It is the air and space component’s main source of guidance for effects throughout the campaign and must make use of the principles and planning considerations set forth here. Targeting efforts play a major role in building an effects-based JAOP by relating effects to particular targets and helping validate whether planned resources can achieve those effects. The JAOP should provide broad guidelines for prioritizing targets, making clear which categories or sets are most important to the campaign. The JAOP should also provide guidance on the sequencing of targeting actions or effects, which is not the same thing as priority. Although parallel effects are generally best, sometimes some targets must be attacked first to enable effects against other targets.