Agility: A Key to the Operational Art
FM 100-5 identifies four, fundamental tenets necessary for successful implementation of AirLand Battle doctrine. These tenets are initiative, agility, depth, and synchronization. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relative importance of the AirLand tenet of agility to the practice of the operational art. The study will begin with a brief discussion of both the operational level of war and the future battlefield to establish a general context for further discussion and analysis of the AirLand Battle tenets. The tenet of agility will then be analyzed in an effort to define it and establish its relationship to each of the other tenets within the context of the operational level of war. This portion of the study will include a brief analysis of each of the four tenets and a look at the emphasis placed upon them by the U.S. Army within its doctrine and in practice in its warfighting. The study will then examine an historical case study, the Second World War's 1944-45 Ardennes campaign in an effort to further define and illustrate the relationship of agility both to the other AirLand battle tenets and the ability of a force to achieve battlefield success by controlling tempo. Finally, observations and conclusions with regards to agility and its role in the practice of operational art by the U.S. Army are stated. This paper concludes that operational agility is a critical component for success at the operational level of war. Operational agility is a force capability composed of physical, structural, and cybernetic agility. Lastly, high levels of operational agility are required to generate the initiative, synchronization, and depth necessary for operational success.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Customer Reviews
ThriftBooks® and the ThriftBooks® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
