Course of Action Development

1. Step 2 of MCPP Course of Action Development

2. MCPP & COA Development

3. Purpose Understand COA development Understand how to develop a COA Understand how to record and articulate a COA

4. COA Development • Process: • Develop initial COAs • Commander’s input • COA refinement • Graphic & narrative • COA criteria • Suitable • Distinguishable • Feasible • Acceptable • Complete • Output: • Designated COAs • for wargaming • Wargaming guidance • Evaluation criteria • Input: • Mission statement • Refined intent • Planning guidance

5. Course of Action (Joint): Any sequence of activities that an individual or unit may follow A possible plan open to an individual or Commander that would accomplish, or is related to the accomplishment of a mission The scheme designed to accomplish a job or mission A line of conduct in an engagement ..concept development phase of the Joint Planning Process.. JP 1-02 Course of Action (USMC): COA Development is about providing options for the commander while continuing to refine the understanding of the mission.MCWP 5-1 COA Defined

6. Fundamental Questions What do we want to do? What are our resources? What are enemy intentions? How do we want to do it? Utilizing METT-T, planners consider the following questions:

7. COA Development • Process: • Develop initial COAs • Commander’s input • COA refinement • Graphic & Narrative • COA criteria • Suitable • Distinguishable • Feasible • Acceptable • Complete • Output: • Designated COAs • for wargaming • Wargaming guidance • Evaluation criteria • Input: • Mission Statement • Refined intent • Planning guidance Staff Estimates IPB

8. Review Situational Awareness Assess Relative Combat Power Develop COAs and assess Develop COA Graphic and Narrative COA Development Brief Develop Wargaming Guidance and Evaluation Criteria Steps of COA Development

9. Mission Analysis Products IPB Updates Essential Tasks CBAE and Planning Guidance Display Friendly Forces Review Situational Awareness

10. Review Mission Analysis Products DECISIVE ACTION II X 1 101 X X X 102 3 1 2 21 21 21 Mission Statement COA DEV Guidance SHAPING ACTION • Commanders Intent: • Personal expression of the purpose, method and endstate of the operation • Creates tempo during planning and execution • Aligned with Higher’s intent • Planning Orientation: • Preliminary insight of what force will do along the Warfighting Functions • Vision of shaping, decisive, and sustaining actions SUSTAINMENT SHAPING ACTION

11. Update IPB Weather, Terrain, and Environment Situation Template SLOPE & ELEVATION ANALYSIS Event Template Most Likely, Most Dangerous, COAs x x x ML x MD x MA COA Dev starts with IPB review RED CELL Civil Considerations

12. Display Friendly Forces X 102 II xx 1 101 X X X 3 1 2 21 21 21 xx xx xx lll lll CLR xx xxx X MLG • Allows staff to see current and projected friendly locations • Helps facilitate options • Simultaneous • Sequential • Phased Operation • Include HN force breakdown

13. Asses Relative Combat Power Numerical comparison of personnel and major end items is just one indicator that must be balanced. Intangibles Weather, morale, level of training, cultural orientation GOAL: ID threat weaknesses that can be exploited through application of friendly strengths and identify friendly weaknesses that require protection from threat actions!

14. Relative Combat Power Assessment Tangible RCPA • Identify those threat weaknesses that can be exploited through asymmetric application of friendly strength (COG) • Enable the protection of friendly weaknesses (CVs) from threat actions • Determine how to allocate existing resources • Determine if additional resources are required

15. Relative Combat Power Assessment Intangible RCPA

16. Relative Combat Power Assessment Intangible RCPA

17. Refine COG Friendly Enemy Infantry Media SOF Industry Artillery COG COG SOF VS Culture Reserves WMD Politics C2 Culture Economy Politics Economy • Apply friendly strengths against enemy weaknesses to defeat an enemy COG • Understand friendly critical vulnerabilities IOT protect them • Identify critical vulnerabilities IOT assist the Commander in choosing the decisive action MCDP 1-0

18. Establish Battlespace Framework Assign Purpose then Tasks Array Friendly Forces Convert Generic Units to Specific Units Task Organize Synchronize Determine Control/Coordinating Measures Commander’s Input and COA Refinement Develop Initial COAs

19. F easibility Does the COA accomplish the mission within the available time, space, and resources? A cceptability Does the COA achieve an advantage that justifies the cost in resources? S uitability Does the COA accomplish the purpose and tasks? Does it comply with Commander’s Guidance? D istinguishability Does the COA differ significantly from other COAs? C ompleteness Does the COA include all tasks to be accomplished? Does it describe a complete mission? COA Criteria

20. Distinguishable How to make COAs distinguishable? Reserve Forms of maneuver Type of attack Task organization Fire support Designation of main effort and timing Sequential vs. simultaneous ops

21. Battlespace Framework Spatial Deep Close Rear Task / Purpose Shaping Actions Decisive Actions Sustaining Actions Describes how the Commander will organize his Battlespace and Forces to achieve a decision Main Effort Supporting Efforts Security Reserve Force

22. Battlespace Framework Describes how the Commander will organize his Battlespace and Forces to achieve a decision Lines of Operation Countering Irregular Threats, June 2006

23. Assign Purpose then Tasks X II 102 II xx 1 101 X X X 2 1 3 21 21 21 S S xx xx(-) III(+) X MLG Reserve MEF Purpose: Prevent the 1st Tactical Echelon from attacking the JTF ME MEF Task: Defeat the 1st Tactical Echelon P (ME): Prevent enemy from attacking the JTF ME T: Defeat 2 x Mech brigades T: Defeat 102d Armor brigade P (SE): Prevent enemy movement into AO T: Guard eastern flank Planning Priority (Res): 1. Reinforce ME 2. Defeat 102nd Brigade P (SE): Prevent 1/21 from repositioning against the ME and draw out the 101st T: Fix the 1/21st P (SE): Support defeat of 1st Tactical Echelon T: Conduct CSS in support of MEF

24. Array Friendly Forces X 102 II 1 101 X X X 1 2 3 21 21 21 • • • 463 • • • CHORWAN • • • TOPKAK • • • 43 • • • 47 • • • YONGCHON ll • • • UNCHON lll lll lll lll lll lll • • • CHONGKOK ll ll ll l • • • 37 • • • 47 • • • 3 • • • 43 • TONGDUCHON • TONGDUCHON • • • • • • • TONGDUCHON • POCHON • • ll l DEEP • Array forces based on capabilities • Two levels down • Conduct RCPA • Determine shortfalls • Identify total number of units required • Allocation of resources • Properly task organize CLOSE • • • • • CHORWAN • CHORWAN • • • • • TOPKAK • TOPKAK • • • • • YONGCHON • YONGCHON • • • • • UNCHON • UNCHON • • • • • CHONGKOK • CHONGKOK • • • • • POCHON • POCHON REAR

25. Convert Generic Units to Specific Units X JFC 102 II xx 1 101 X X 2 1 21 21 xx DEEP CLOSE • Begin with Main Effort • Assign unit designators 1 REAR 3

26. Task Organize XXX III XX II II X MLG CLB CLB III III III II III III II II I I II III (-) XX (+) XX RES “Looking two levels down facilitates command and control…It allows you to task organize and resource subordinates for mission success.” Gen. W.E. Boomer (-)

27. Synchronize X X X H+36 H+24 102 102 DEEP 102 II II H+36 xx 1 1 101 101 H Hr to H+36 X X X CLOSE 3 2 1 21 21 21 H+18 III(+) II H+24 1 101 H+22 xx H+16 H+6 H+10 REAR xx(-) xx III(+) xx Reserve • Arrangement of military actions by: • Time • Space • Purpose • to produce maximum combat power at the decisive time / place • This effort is recorded on the Synchronization Matrix

28. Delineate responsibilities Impose restrictions Provide coordination Decentralize execution Control Measures XXX MEF Deep XX XX XX Div Deep Div Deep Div Close Div Close MEF Close • Control measures facilitate: • Command and Control • Operations and Tempo XX Div Rear Div Rear XX XX MEF Rear XXX Developed with a COA and tested in the War Game

29. F easibility Does the COA accomplish the mission within the available time, space, and resources? A cceptability Does the COA achieve an advantage that justifies the cost in resources? S uitability Does the COA accomplish the purpose and tasks? Does it comply with Commander’s Guidance? D istinguishability Does the COA differ significantly from other COAs? C ompleteness Does the COA include all tasks to be accomplished? Does it describe a complete mission? COA Criteria Review

30. Cmdr’s Input & COA Refinement COA 1 and 2 are the way I envisioned them. However, I want to place more emphasis on providing support to the people to marginalize insurgent forces Technique: This review with the Commander is normally informal and is done as soon as possible after the COAs are initially developed

31. COA Narrative Overview statement Main effort Supporting effort(s) Reserve Priority of fires Does it paint/match a picture ? In developing a narrative, you want the picture and the words to match!

32. COA Sketch Sketch to include: Control measures Avenues of approach (AAs are not tactical control measure) Obstacles / prominent terrain features / important LOCs LD / FEBA Phase lines, assembly areas, etc. Objectives Rough task organization Main effort and supporting effort(s) Task and purpose of each unit Draw maneuver and any additional control measures Checkpoints, passage points, etc… CLARITY IS THE KEY!

33. COA Graphic & Narrative FSCL FSCL X X H+24 H+24 H+36 H+36 102 102 5 5 21 21 21 TAI 12 TAI 12 xx II II XX 1 1 101 101 X X X X 20 20 20 3 3 3 3 21 21 21 21 X X X X S II II II X X X X 4 4 4 X X 2 2 2 2 21 21 21 21 1 1 1 1 21 21 21 21 X X S H+12 H+12 xx xx xx PL DOG xx xx xx xx xx ( - ) ( ( - - ) ) xxx xxx xxx III III III III (+) (+) (+) (+) X xx xx MLG Reserve Reserve Reserve Task: O/O, MEF attacks in zone in order to defeat the first echelon. Method: Deep Operations— The Wing disrupts the 102nd Armored Brigade from reinforcing the first echelon. Close Operations— Supporting Effort: In the west, a division (-) conducts a supporting attack to fix the 1-21st Mechanized Brigade and causes the commitment of the 1-101st Armor Battalion, the enemy reserve. To support this attack our deception effort will focus on portraying this supporting attack as our main effort. Upon the commitment of the 1-101st Armor Battalion, our main effort, consisting of a division, conducts a flanking attack through the gap between the 2-21st and 3-21st Mechanized Infantry brigades and defeats the 1-101st Armor Battalion. Fires will disrupt any movement of the 2-21st and 3-21st Mechanized Infantry Brigades and the 21st Division’s command and control. The reserve is a mechanized regiment (rein) that follows the main effort and is prepared to defeat a flank counterattack from either the 2-21st or 3-21st Mechanized Infantry Brigade. If not committed against the two mechanized brigades, O/O it will defeat the enemy operational reserve, the 102nd Armored Brigade. One LAR Bn provides security by screening the eastern flank. Rear Operations— 1 RCT(-) REIN screens flanks and rear IOT support logistics efforts and provide force protection. Endstate: Enemy first echelon defeated and the MEF postured for follow-on combat operations

34. COA Task Organization XXX III XX II II X MLG CLB CLB III III III II III III II II I I II III Determine appropriate Command and Support relationships by COA (-) XX (+) XX RES (-)

35. COA Synchronization Matrix H-HOUR PRE H-HOUR EVENT MEF DP 1 - Advance of 102 Bde south of NAI 29 DECISION PT. AD attacks - enveloping force; MAW launches strike DEEP CLOSE IAW Deception Plan MARDIV attacks in zone MARDIV - 1 Bn - MEF Res RESERVE Inf Bn prepares for helo assault MANEUVER IAW Deception Plan REAR MSR’S for support to main effort MOBILITY C-MOBILITY Eng fwd w/ AD - east flank Confirm 1ST echelon disposition MSC’S recon in zone INTELLIGENCE NAI 26 - 205 th react to 1st AD movement NAI I&W; NAI 1, 29, 11, 4c ACE:destroy 102D/ neutralize 401ST,103D& 204TH LETHAL JTF Shaping eastern AO FIRES Press release: Insurgents attempt assassination of MOD NON-LETHAL Leaflet drop NAI 10 SUSTAINMENT CSSA 1 CLS V to 5 DOA MCSSD’S deploy ISO RCTs Establish designated FARP LOGISTICS Open Port RED DISTRIBUTION Boundary shift w/ 3 Corps Coord flank with XVIII Boundary shift executed COMMAND & CONTROL Attack 403d Army C2 nodes IW/C2W Elec Surveil N of AO MARDIV designate TCF Bn FORCE PROTECTION Counterreconnaissance in zone; Counterterrorism alert NBC/AIR DEF TMD assets deployed and ready

36. COA Synchronization Matrix

37. Develop Concepts of Support Supporting Concepts • Intelligence • Fires • Maneuver • C2 • Logistics • Force Protection Additional Supporting Concepts • Concept for Information Operations • Concept for Civil Military Operations • Concept for Contracting and Reconstruction • Concept for Reception, Staging, Onward Movement & Integration (RSOI)

38. Updated Intel Estimate HHQ Mission and Intent Commander’s Orientation Mission Statement Commander’s Intent Commander’s COA DEV Guidance Enemy most likely, most dangerous, and most advantageous COAs Relative Combat Power Assessment Rationale for COAs COA Task Organization COA Graphics and Narratives Concepts of Support Updated facts, assumptions, CCIRs, shortfalls, issues… Recommended Wargaming Guidance and Evaluation Criteria Prepare COA Briefing

39. War Game Guidance & Eval Criteria • Wargaming Guidance • Those aspects of the COA the Commander wants to test • List of critical events (e.g. shifting the ME) • Timeline of phase / stage • Methods • Sequence of Essential Tasks, Avenue In Depth, Belt, Box • Evaluation Criteria • Lens used to analyze / evaluate COAs • Limitation on casualties • Exploitation of enemy weaknesses • Political considerations Staff should make recommendations to the Commander

40. Commander’s Evaluation Criteria is based on METT-T, judgment, personal experience and his overall Design of the operation; additional examples of criteria may include BUT are not limited to: Principles of war Commander’s Orientation Commander’s intent Limitation of casualties Exploitation of enemy weaknesses and / or friendly strengths Defeat of enemy COG (s) Degree of asymmetrical operations Opportunity of maneuver Concentration of combat power Risk Phasing Weighting of the main effort (ME) Political Considerations Commander’s Evaluation Criteria

41. COA Development • Process: • Develop initial COAs • Commander’s input • COA refinement • Graphic & Narrative • COA criteria • Suitable • Distinguishable • Feasible • Acceptable • Complete • Output: • COA Development • Brief • Designated COAs • for Wargaming • Wargaming guidance • Evaluation criteria • Input: • Mission Statement • Refined intent • Planning guidance Staff Estimates IPB

42. Summary Generates viable options for the commander that: Satisfy the mission Accomplish the Commander’s Intent Comply with Commander’s Guidance Orient on the enemy!

43. Questions?