Italian Army and Effects-Based Operations

The purpose of this monograph is to explore what part of the emerging concept of Effects-Based Operations is relevant to the way the Italian Army is heading towards the future. Specifically, given the experience of the Italian Army in stability and reconstruction operations, its organizational structure and the peculiar capabilities expressed by its soldiers, this monograph searches for a viable translation of the effects-based operations construct to facilitate ongoing and future operations. Interest in, and contribution to, the development of the effects-based operations concept has great importance for the Italian military because in its adaptation process it might provide a framework that could drive further changes. Moreover, there is a constant necessity for the Italian Armed Forces, and the army in particular, to maintain a common doctrinal understanding with its allies and partners with which they combine to conduct operations, and who are also looking with interest at effects-based operations. The method chosen is to compare the evidence on Italian experience in past and ongoing operations with the effects-based approach in order to derive a functional application of the latter in future operations. The monograph will analyze the recent history of the Italian Army and the modifications and adaptations that it went through, with specific regard to the last 15 years. Particular focus has been given to describing the operations in which the army participated in order to collect enough evidence to discern a pattern that could lead to a generalization on the conduct of stability and reconstruction operations. Successively, the monograph will investigate the distinctive elements of effects-based operations, the problems related to the concept and the refined definitions that are available. Finally, the theory and practice will be merged, to see if Italian experience on operations can provide a nationally adapted form of effects-based operations. The findings of