McMaster on war (merged thread)

[William F. Owen]

You need to have a spectrum of capabilities. The effects or capabilities based doctrine is supposed to mean that you don't use a jackhammer when a chisel is required or vice-versa - IE, you look at the strategic objectives (ends), determine the effects required to achieve them (ways), then determine what forces can best achieve those effects (means). I am sure most people here agree with that. You can't predict what future war will be like, so you must organize/train/equip a spectrum of capabilities as a hedge against your vision of future war being wrong.

I do not think you need a spectrum of capabilities. A defined capability provides the spectrum. An M1A2 is a discrete and definable capability. It can operate across a spectrum. FCS seeks to undermine that logic, with creating "M1A2" effects or capabilities from something that is not an M1A2. Suppose it might be Stryker MGS (i know it is not) - and that is very limited and cannot operate across the spectrum M1A2 can.

Military power is military power. If you have it, you have it. It's simple coherent and logical.

[Cliff]

..you do have to procure discrete capablities...

I do not think you need a spectrum of capabilities. A defined capability provides the spectrum. An M1A2 is a discrete and definable capability. It can operate across a spectrum. FCS seeks to undermine that logic, with creating "M1A2" effects or capabilities from something that is not an M1A2. Suppose it might be Stryker MGS (i know it is not) - and that is very limited and cannot operate across the spectrum M1A2 can.

Military power is military power. If you have it, you have it. It's simple coherent and logical.

I agree with you when you say a system can have a range of effects.

I think that you do need to procure a range of capabilities to cover the range of potential conflicts/threats you might face. The FCS can have some of the M1's effects vs. armored forces... but you have to consider the M1's psychological effect in other situations...

I think the execution phase is when effects based thinking is most appropriate... you can then consider the desired outcome, what effects will achieve this, and then pick the systems that generate the desired effects instead of having a system and then trying to tailor its effects to the desired level. Of course this assumes you have multiple systems to choose from (Heavy forces, Stryker, Light inf, SOF....) etc...

V/R,

Cliff