Field Manual (FM) 3-0 Operations (2017) provides a doctrinal approach for our theater armies, corps, divisions and brigades to address the challenges of shaping operational environments, preventing conflict, prevailing during large-scale ground combat, and consolidating gains to follow through on tactical success. FM 3-0 is about how we deter adversaries and fight a peer threat today, with today’s forces and today’s capabilities. It addresses operations to counter threats in three broad contexts that account for what the Nation asks its Army to do.
Today’s operational environment presents threats to the Army and joint force that are significantly more dangerous in terms of capability and magnitude than those we faced in Iraq and Afghanistan. Major regional powers like Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea are actively seeking to gain strategic positional advantage. These nations, and other adversaries, are fielding capabilities to deny long-held U.S. freedom of action in the air, land, maritime, space, and cyberspace domains and reduce U.S. influence in critical areas of the world. In some contexts they already have overmatch or parity, a challenge the joint force has not faced in twenty-five years.
The Army and joint force must adapt and prepare for large-scale combat operations in highly contested, lethal environments where enemies employ potent long range fires and other capabilities that rival or surpass our own. The risk of inaction is great; the less prepared we are to meet these challenges, the greater the likelihood for conflict with those who seek windows of opportunity to exploit. The reduction of friendly, forward-stationed forces, significant reductions in capability and capacity across the entire joint force, and the pace of modernization make it imperative that we do everything possible to prepare for worst-case scenarios. We must be ready to win with the forces we have, and having the right doctrine is a critical part of that readiness.
FM 3-0 Operations (Oct 2017) is referenced extensively in AODS6: The Army Operations & Doctrine SMARTbook, 6th Ed. (Guide to FM/ADRP 3-0 Operations & the Elements of Combat Power) Material referenced from FM 3-0 Operations (2017) include 22 pages on Army operations (range of military operations, the multi-domain battle, peer threats in large-scale combat operations, the Army in joint operations, strategic and operational reach, the operational framework, and paths to victory), 12 pages on Army echelons, capabilities, and training, 6 pages on operations to SHAPE (threats, shaping environments, interagency coordination), 18 pages on operations to PREVENT (threat, prevent activities, sustainment preparation, consolidation of gains), 8 pages on large-scale COMBAT operations (joint and Army forces, tactical enabling tasks, forcible entry operations, transition to consolidate gains), 14 pages on large-scale DEFENSIVE operations (enemy attack, defensive tasks, planning, common control measures, defending encircled), 18 pages on large-scale OFFENSIVE operations (planning, offensive tasks, common control measures, preparing), and 10 pages on operations to CONSOLIDATE GAINS (planning, threats, activities, and transition).
AODS6-1: The Army Operations & Doctrine SMARTbook (w/SMARTupdate 1*) is the new sixth edition of our Army SMARTbook. Completely updated with the July 2019 ADPs, the 400-pg AODS6-1 includes operations (ADP 3-0), large-scale combat operations (FM 3-0 w/Chg 1), and refocused chapters on the elements of combat power: command & control (ADP 6-0), movement and maneuver (ADPs 3-90, 3-07, 3-28, 3-05), intelligence (ADP 2-0), fires (ADP 3-19), sustainment (ADP 4-0), & protection (ADP 3-37).
Download a free PDF sample and learn more at: AODS6-1: The Army Operations & Doctrine SMARTbook, 6th Ed. w/SMARTupdate 1 (Guide to FM/ADP 3-0 Operations & the Elements of Combat Power)
This article is an extract from “AODS6-1: The Army Operations & Doctrine SMARTbook, 6th Ed. w/SMARTupdate 1 (Guide to FM/ADP 3-0 Operations & the Elements of Combat Power)” by The Lightning Press. Download a free PDF sample and learn more at: AODS6-1: The Army Operations & Doctrine SMARTbook, 6th Ed. w/SMARTupdate 1 (Guide to FM/ADP 3-0 Operations & the Elements of Combat Power).
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