JP 3-60, page 112

Appendix D D-4 JP 3-60 d. Combat Assessment. Within the assessment phase is a subcomponent called CA that is focused on determining the results of engaging a target with lethal or nonlethal capabilities or weapons, and thus, is an important component of joint fires and the joint targeting process. To conduct CA, it is important to fully understand the linkages between the targets and the JFC’s objectives, guidance, and desired effects. CA is composed of three related elements: BDA, MEA, and reattack recommendations or future targeting. (1) Battle Damage Assessment. BDA is an element of CA and is the estimate of target damage or effect which is based on physical damage assessment, change assessment, and functional damage assessment, as well as target system assessment, resulting from the application of lethal and nonlethal capabilities. BDA must be treated as an integral component of the joint targeting process and must not be conducted as a separate, post-attack activity. BDA planning should occur early in the joint targeting cycle to improve effectiveness and timeliness of BDA. Effective BDA requires a coordinated and integrated effort between joint force intelligence and operations functions. BDA is composed of physical damage/change assessment, functional damage/change assessment, and target system assessment, typically taking a three-phased approach to proceed from a micro-level examination of the damage or effect inflicted on a specific target element, to ultimately arriving at macro-level conclusions regarding the functional outcomes created in the target system. The three-step analytical process (physical damage/change assessment, functional damage assessment, target system assessment) is reported via a three-phased BDA reporting process: phase 1, BDA Initial Target Assessment; phase 2, BDA Supplemental Target Assessment; and phase 3, BDA Target System Assessment. (a) BDA Phase I, Physical Damage/Change Assessment 1. A physical damage assessment is an estimate of the quantitative extent of physical damage (through munitions blast, fragmentation, or fire damage) to a target element based on observed or interpreted damage. Physical damage assessment is the physical damage equivalent to change assessment. This post-attack target analysis should be a coordinated effort among combat units, component commands, the subordinate joint force, the combatant command, primary theater BDA cell, national agencies, supporting commands, and the JIOC. Some representative sources for data necessary to make a physical damage assessment include the ATO or MAAP, mission reports (MISREPs), aircraft cockpit video, weapon systems video (WSV), visual/verbal reports from ground spotters or combat troops, controllers or observers, artillery target surveillance reports, SIGINT, HUMINT, GEOINT, measurement and signature intelligence (MASINT), technical intelligence, or open-source intelligence. 2. Key factors in determining the extent of physical damage are target type and size: Was the attacked target/element a piece of equipment or a building or bunker? How hard is the target? How big is the target? 3. To quantify physical damage, the assessment is conducted against one or more specific aimpoints, usually containing a critical element. Destruction of an entire building may not be required if the stated objective is to destroy a specific portion of the building based on the function (critical element) conducted within that section of the