Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Military Doctrine
and Defence Planning
By Brigadier General (ret.) Polychronis Nalmpantis, MPhil
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military commanders and specialists on security issues must understand the nature
and different development of doctrines. Also, doctrine is defined as fundamental
principles by which military forces guide
their actions in support of their objectives.
Doctrine is authoritative but requires judgment in its application; it is dynamic and
must be reviewed for relevance.
NATO specifies the aim of doctrine as the
outlining of a framework that helps understanding the plan approach and the fulfillment of military operations while it provides
guidelines and explanatory assistance.
Knowledge of the doctrine, its comprehension and applications allow people to think
clearly in the fog, within the chaos and intensity of a crisis, conflict or war. It also provides a common approach based on methodic thought, which in turn is not based on imposing rules. Sir Julian Corbet describes it as
a common vehicle for expression and a common
plane of thought. Its aim is to direct, explain
and educate. Furthermore, it provides the
basis for further study and informative discussion. In combination with effective education, a clear doctrine must lead to consistent behavior, mutual trust, understanding
and effective common action which does not
limit individual initiative. In AP3000,
British Air Power Doctrine, we can find the
following quote concerning doctrine made
by Sir Michael Howard: I am tempted to declare that whatever doctrine the Armed Forces
are working on, they have got it wrong. I am also tempted to declare that it does not matter
that they have got it wrong. What does matter
is their capacity to get it right quickly when the
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bilities. It deals with the changes and effects on future operations. Advanced technology may cause such effects.
Tactical Doctrine. It enables the implementation of the strategic and operational doctrine in military activities. It describes the appropriate use of specific
weapon systems and other systems for the
accomplishment of objective purposes. The
tactical doctrine also deals with the performance of roles and missions.
The most important factors influenc-
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nomic and diplomatic dimensions, harnesses the nations recourses to protect and advance national objectives in light of the
challenges and opportunities that emanate
from beyond a nations border.
The questions that emerge for defence
planning are the following: Are the National Security and Defence Policies appropriate for the new era that has dawned?
Which are the main missions the Armed
Forces should be preparing for, in order to
respond to, and support, this strategy? Are
existing doctrines effective or are changes
needed? (All of the above define the framework of relative actions, for domestic problems, international relations, military
structure/doctrine, and the countrys general orientation as seen in Fig. [2] (R. Lloyd, Strategy and Force Planning Framework, in Strategy and Force Planning Faculty, ed., Strategy and Force Planning, (Newport: Naval War College Press, 2000), pp.
1-4, see also D.Ochmanek, S.Hosmer, The
Context for Defence Planning: The Environment, Strategy and Mission, in Z.
Khalilzad, D.Ochmanek, eds., Strategy and
Defence Planning for 21st Century, [Santa
Monica: RAND, 1997], pp.35-40).
Furthermore, in order to identify the capabilities that will be most needed in the future towards planning the security/defence
policy and the force structure, we must also
address the following major issues:
What basic national security strategy is
most appropriate for the era we are entering?
What major missions must the armed
forces be prepared for in order to undertake the support of the above strategy?
Under what conditions might these missions have to be carried out?
How should a Ministry of National Defence conduct force planning and evaluation so as to take full account of the un-
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Figure 2
certainties in the future operational environment?
How capable will the armed forces be
in conducting future combat operations?
What criteria should be used to determine
the overall size of the armed forces?
What should be the top priorities for
improving their combat capabilities?
What are the implications of emerging
technologies in the way armed forces
fight, and in force mix and size?
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How should the armed forces be restructured in order to provide a stabilizing presence near and abroad in peacetime?
Are future defence budgets likely to be
sufficient for sustaining the forces and capabilities they need?
To what extend can the reform and reshape of the Ministry of National Defence
infrastructure and business practice yield
the savings needed to sustain, operate,
and modernize the force?
Administrations, defence and force planners must continue to ensure that they can
secure and advance the basic objectives of
their nation - such as the protection of their
people, their democratic values, and their
prosperity - they must ensure the will and
capacity to underwrite the security and stability in their geopolitical environment. An
existence gap between planning strategy
and capabilities can be extremely dangerous for the nation. Such a gap could lead to
the creation of security commitments made
under false doctrine and force planning
which in turn the nation will be unable to
fulfill, jeopardizing its security and defence
policy implementation and even perhaps its
ability to undertake military tasks.
Epilogue
To sum up,
developments in the international (political, financial, societal, military technological) and closer geopolitical
Bibliography
MoD/Directorate of Air Staff, AP 3000: British Air
Power Doctrine, (Norwich: Crown Copyright, 1999)
MoD/Joint Warfare Publication, JWP 0-01: British
Defence Doctrine, (London: Caldwell Prince Ltd,
1997)
The Dictionary of Military Terms, Department of
Defence/ Joint Chief of Staff, formulates the same
definition, (London: Greenhill Books, 1999)
B.R. Posen Naval Staff Directorate, BR 1806:
British Maritime Doctrine, (London: The Stationery
Office, 1999)
US Army, The Sources of Military Doctrine, (New
York: Cornell University Press, 1984
Command and General Staff College, Battle Book,
ST-100 -3, (Kansas: 2000)
F. O. Miksche, Blitzkrieg, in Freedman L., ed.,
War, (London: Oxford University Press, 1997)
T. Donnelly & Sean Naylor, Clash of Chariots, the
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James Gow, Triumph of the Lack of Will: International Diplomacy and the Yugoslav War, (New York:
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Hellenic MoND/Ministers Staff, European Secu-
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