STRATEGY The Logic OF Operational Planning This essay takes the last Argentina war experience as example and aims at applying the concept of effects to be achieved and the determination of the necessary forces for the Campaign as a useful method at the planning level which is applicable both in the military environment and others that are part of the conflict scenario. By Patricio Justo del Niño Jesús Trejo STRATEGY ntroduction During the operational origin of the campaign, as in Historically, war is simply a fight to death between two people. Today, any military planning in general, the enemy is analyzed I the use of violence, significantly in first place. Then, they are linked to the geographical extended due to the dimension and magnitude of actors, must be adapted to environment and the center of gravity while skills are more evolved and pragmatic concepts determined taking into consideration what they can do. in which conditions to achieve cohesion and systematize the use of force are Subsequently, modes of action are prepared. created since absolute victory is costly in human and material terms. In this context, there is the Moreover, the general systems that Clausewitz gave it in the military operational level which attempts to theory allows for a broader and arena and which was an adaptation articulate ideas with actions and to interdisciplinary analysis of the from the scientific paradigm of the age. combine the different components problem3. Clausewitz, who was of the military instrument for the contemporaneous with Napoleon, development of the campaign. ANALYSIS OF THE OPERATIONAL TARGET was a great observer who could World War II and conflicts that took AND THE CENTER OF GRAVITY summarize the military ideas of his place at the end of the 20th century In order to better explain and show times. This was determined upon the showed its importance and, for our the theory described in this essay with rapid gathering in the place and the country, it was the operational level the facts, we will take the Malvinas War as right moment and determination of one that showed the greatest failures case study. the Center of Gravity of the enemy during the development of the Malvinas The first thing we have to determine (a concept that has had different War as it was not able to articulate during the analysis of the initial interpretations since then) to apply a plan that integrates the different situation is the Operational Target that forces and to be able to destroy it by components in an efficient manner. will be agreed upon with the strategic means of a decisive battle. During the operational origin of the level. Then, the forces that are part This conception was influenced campaign, as in any military planning of and which support said target by innovative mechanical and in general, the enemy is analyzed in are determined and, after this, the physical principles spread by Newton first place. Then, they are linked to critical requirements that allow said principles4, since the 18th century, the geographical environment and forces to operate as a system are also with which there was some consensus the center of gravity while skills are determined. These will, inevitably, as to the way to start and solve battles determined taking into consideration have weaknesses that will represent in the military arena. what they can do. Subsequently, modes their critical vulnerabilities. However, if we say that the origin of action are prepared. Thus, they In this work, we aim at giving of war, from a Judeo- Christian could follow a method but they must another perspective of what we perspective, lies on the single battle inevitably have logic and the one that understand as center of gravity and, between Cain and Abel, then, in order best adapts to this level is the logic in order to do this, it is important to to understand its logic, we must start developed by complex thinking1 and remember the military origin of the by analyzing psyche and the forces the general systems theory2. expression which relates to the use that are part of the group of each Complex thinking states that the analysis of a phenomenon may be carried out from two perspectives: holistic and reductionist. The first 1. Theory developed by Edgar Morin, French philosopher and sociologist, born in Paris on July 8, 1921. 2. Theory attributed to Ludwig von Bertalanffy, Austrian biologist, who coined the name in the mid 20th century. one refers to an analysis of the whole 3. Cornut, Hernán; “El Pensamiento Sistémico como marco conceptual de la Acción Militar Conjunta”; Journal of the Escuela Superior de or multiple as a whole and the second Guerra del Ejército; N° 578; May-Aug 2011; p. 31. one to the parts. 4. Theory expressed by Edgar Morin, French philosopher and sociologist, born in Paris on July 8, 1921. 28 VISIÓN CONJUNTA NÚMERO 8 fighter during a battle in order to get Model of Analysis of an Operational Target applied to Malvinas War conclusions that may be applied in a general way to modern conflicts. The purpose of war, considering its origin, is to destroy the intention INTELLIGENCE OPERATIONS of fighting of the enemy and to make ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL FACTOR them subjugate, whether by means of getting their forces exhausted or affecting them psychologically, so that they cannot continue the battle. AIR- SEA CRITICAL REQUIREMENTS In this context, it is necessary to OPERATIONS REPLACEMENT AIR- SEA AIRCRAFT TECHNOLOGY WEAPONS analyze what the Center of Gravity is, SPARE PARTS OPERATIONS where it is located in the human body AIR CONTROL and how it performs during a battle. SOUTH A.R.A. LOGISTIC The Center of Gravity, in the human AIR SEA SUPPLY OPERATIONS CONTINENT FORCE OPERATIONS body, is a non- material point subject to AIR BASE PUERTO FLEET WITH WITH SPECIAL ARGENTINO modifications. It is determined by the FORCES SEA SUBMARINE AIR BASE CONTROL FORCES convergence of all forces that interact ON THE ISLANDS in it; in this sense, it changes its ARMY- PUERTO CLOSE AIR ARG GROUP MOBILITY location according to the movements SUPPORT LITORAL GROUP DEFENSIVE each fighter makes during the battle. ACQUISITION DEVICE OPERATIONS Taking this into account, the AIR SUPERIORITY OF TARGETS AMMUNITION WITH SURFACE OPERATIONS RATIONING purpose must not be to directly attack FORCES the Center of Gravity, but the critical needs and requirements that allow OPERATIONS STRATEGIC the forces that support said Center of WITH BOMBARDING SPECIAL FORCES OPERATIONS WITH OPERATIONS Gravity to act as a system. LAND FORCES In war, we must act by analogy to how a battle between two men develops. During the conflict, the Center of Gravity may vary its location and it Source: Author may sometimes be more supported by one force and, some other times, by another one. It will be the main and Once these two aspects are parameter that allows to get closer to key responsibility of the operational defined, they will be located within the structure of forces necessary to commander to determine the key the geographical space included in be successful in the campaign is the requirements to take in each stage of the Theater of Operations aiming at Power Unit. the campaign in order to be successful. specifying the contributing effects that allow to achieve the main effect. POWER UNIT DETERMINATION OF THE SkiLLS OF THE ENEMY Determining the Skills of the The Power Unit is a planning tool When preparing the Skills of the Enemy will be a key step during the that allows to represent, in a scheme Enemy at the operational level, it is campaign planning as it will allow to format, the forces that are present with necessary to state what the enemy have a general idea of the magnitude of their skills and limitations. operational purpose is and, then, the opposing forces, their deployment Its use will help to determine the determine the main effect to be and movement times within and enemy capacity based on the analysis achieved in the military arena within without the Theater of Operations. of relative battle power, space and the Theater of Operations. A way of establishing a comparison time and it is very useful during 29 STRATEGY confrontation. This will help to make conclusions that allow to structure The purpose of war, considering its origin, is to destroy the campaign having an idea about the the intention of fighting of the enemy and to make them magnitude and type of forces without details of tactical units. subjugate, whether by means of getting their forces Its creation may vary according exhausted or affecting them psychologically, so that to the detail requested and it may be a navy power unit with its they cannot continue the battle. amphibious; aircraft and submarine elements, among others, air power unit which may be blocking hunting, there may be power units for special, represent tactic units although they bombarding, bombarding- hunting, logistic or military police forces. are so sometimes, taking the example transport, helicopters, etc. and Moreover, each power unit will of the Malvinas War we can see how land power unit with mechanized, have a relative value with respect to the HMS Conqueror submarine was armored, mount, mountain, air magnitude, training and technology opposed as British power unit to the transported elements, etc. which will allow it to have the Argentine navy power unit, made up of Whatever is necessary to determine particular effect to be achieved in each the ARA General Belgrano cruiser and in magnitude and type of force may be stage or phase of the campaign. the ARA Comandante Piedrabuena identified as power units.