JP 3-0, page 38
Joint Operations
Joint Publication: Joint Operations
11 August 2011 public edition
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Chapter I
I-14
JP 3-0
what purpose major forces will be employed and to influence the adversary’s disposition
before combat. Operational art governs the deployment of those forces and the arrangement
of operations to achieve operational and strategic objectives.
(2) Many factors will affect relationships between leaders at these levels. For
example, the primary Service and functional component commanders of a joint force do not
plan tactical actions in a vacuum; they and their staffs collaborate with the operational-level
JFC in planning the joint operation. This collaboration facilitates the components’ tactical
planning and execution. Likewise, the operational-level JFC and staff typically collaborate
with the CCDR on framing theater strategic objectives as well as tasks that the CCDR
eventually will assign to the subordinate joint force. In some cases, such as in the 1991
Operation DESERT STORM, the CCDR will not form a subordinate joint force and will
direct both operational-level and theater strategic actions. In this instance, the CCDR’s
component commanders assume a greater operational-level role, while their subordinates
focus on tactical execution.
d. Tactical Level. Tactics is the employment and ordered arrangement of forces in
relation to each other. Joint doctrine focuses this term on planning and executing battles,
engagements, and activities at the tactical level to achieve military objectives assigned to
tactical units or task forces (TFs). An engagement can include a wide variety of noncombat
tasks and activities and combat between opposing forces normally in a short-duration action.
A battle consists of a set of related engagements. Battles typically last longer, involve larger
forces, and normally affect the course of a campaign. Forces at this level generally employ
various tactics to achieve their military objectives.
7. Types of Military Operations
a. The United States employs its military capabilities in support of its national security
goals in a variety of military operations (Figure I-6). Operations generally involve military
action or the accomplishment of a strategic, operational, or tactical, service, training, or
administrative military mission. Operations such as COIN and counterterrorism (CT) are
primarily related to IW. Encounters between friendly and enemy forces in IW seldom
amount to more than tactical engagements. Insurgents, terrorists, and other IW actors rarely
mass in sufficient numbers to fight battles. However, IW can occur in conjunction with
large-scale traditional operations as well. Large-scale combat operations associated with
traditional warfare typically characterize major operations and campaigns, although the
extended nature of some IW will require operations phased over time as a campaign. Each
military operation may occur simultaneously with or independently of other operations, or
multiple operations may overlap. Additionally, each may have different root causes and
objectives.
b. With a significant array of available Service capabilities―supplemented as required
by specialized joint or other capabilities―joint forces can be designed, organized, equipped,
and trained to accomplish a wide variety of military operations such as those in Figure I-6.
The nature of objectives and the magnitude of tasks and requirements will determine if a
joint force headquarters (HQ) and joint operations are necessary or if a single-Service force
can accomplish the mission. Chapter V, “Joint Operations Across the Range of Military