Effects-Based Operations

Effects-Based Operations is an emerging operational concept, that seeks to obtain a desired strategic outcome or effect on the enemy through the synergistic and cumulative application of the full range of military and non-military capabilities at all levels of conflict. Most of the information written about effects-based operations examines the utility at the strategic and operational level, but there is a general lack of information on the relevance at the tactical level. Thesis research compares the effects-based approach to operations and compares it against the current objectives-based approach to operations. The research includes a review of current thought on effects-based operations. Evaluation considers three conditions, which provide appropriate evaluation criteria. The three conditions include the contemporary operating environment, the U.S. Army future force and the tactical level of war. From the evaluation criteria, analysis compares the two approaches to operations and suggests that effects-based operations do have tactical utility to the U.S. Army future force operating in the contemporary operating environment.