Military plan
Encyclopedia
A military operation plan (also called a war plan before World War II
) is a formal plan
for military
armed forces
, their military organization
s and units to conduct operation
s, as drawn up by commanders within the combat operations process
in achieving objectives before or during a conflict
. Military plans are generally produced in accordance with the military doctrine
of the troops involved.
Plan XVII
and the Schlieffen Plan
are examples of World War I
military plans. The United States
developed a famous color-coded set of war plans in the early 20th century; see United States color-coded war plans
.
Military plans often have codenames.
, and operation plan (OPLAN) is a complete and detailed plan for conducting joint
military operations. An OPLAN is developed by the Combatant Commander (CCDR) of a Unified Combatant Command
in response to actual or potential situations for which military operations may be required. An OPLAN is executed when the commander issues an operations order (OPORD), or when the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
(CJCS) issues an execute order (EXORD) at the direction of the (Secdef)
to implement a decision by the President
to initiate military operations. A concept plan (CONPLAN) is an operation plan in concept form, often lacking the level of details normally found in other military plans.
Among publicly known U.S. Operations Plans are two dealing with possible events on the Korean Peninsula, OPLAN 5027
, the U.S. general war plan which has been regularly updated since at least the mid 1990s, and OPLAN 5029
, a plan catering to a sudden collapse of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. OPLAN 8044 and OPLAN 8010 are both successor plans to the Single Integrated Operational Plan
, the general plan for nuclear war from 1961 to 2003. OPLAN 1003-98
was the pre-2002 plan for war with Iraq
.
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
) is a formal plan
Plan
A plan is typically any diagram or list of steps with timing and resources, used to achieve an objective. See also strategy. It is commonly understood as a temporal set of intended actions, through which one expects to achieve a goal...
for military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
armed forces
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
, their military organization
Military organization
Military organization is the structuring of the armed forces of a state so as to offer military capability required by the national defence policy. In some countries paramilitary forces are included in a nation's armed forces...
s and units to conduct operation
Military operation
Military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state's favor. Operations may be of combat or non-combat types, and are referred to by a code name for the purpose...
s, as drawn up by commanders within the combat operations process
Combat operations process
Combat operations process is undertaken by armed forces during military campaigns, major operations, battles, and engagements to facilitate the setting of objectives, direction of combat, and assessment of the operation plan's success....
in achieving objectives before or during a conflict
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
. Military plans are generally produced in accordance with the military doctrine
Military doctrine
Military doctrine is the concise expression of how military forces contribute to campaigns, major operations, battles, and engagements.It is a guide to action, not hard and fast rules. Doctrine provides a common frame of reference across the military...
of the troops involved.
Plan XVII
Plan XVII
Plan XVII was the name of a "scheme of mobilization and concentration" that was adopted by the French General Staff in 1913, to be put into effect by the French Army in the event of war between France and Germany but was not ‘a prescribed narrative for the campaign’ or battle...
and the Schlieffen Plan
Schlieffen Plan
The Schlieffen Plan was the German General Staff's early 20th century overall strategic plan for victory in a possible future war in which the German Empire might find itself fighting on two fronts: France to the west and Russia to the east...
are examples of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
military plans. The United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
developed a famous color-coded set of war plans in the early 20th century; see United States color-coded war plans
United States Color-coded War Plans
During the 1920s and 1930s, the United States military Joint Army and Navy Board developed a number of color-coded war plans to outline potential U.S. strategies for a variety of hypothetical war scenarios...
.
Military plans often have codenames.
United States
In the U.S. militaryUnited States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
, and operation plan (OPLAN) is a complete and detailed plan for conducting joint
Joint warfare
Joint warfare is a military doctrine which places priority on the integration of the various service branches of a state's armed forces into one unified command...
military operations. An OPLAN is developed by the Combatant Commander (CCDR) of a Unified Combatant Command
Unified Combatant Command
A Unified Combatant Command is a United States Department of Defense command that is composed of forces from at least two Military Departments and has a broad and continuing mission. These commands are established to provide effective command and control of U.S. military forces, regardless of...
in response to actual or potential situations for which military operations may be required. An OPLAN is executed when the commander issues an operations order (OPORD), or when the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff is by law the highest ranking military officer in the United States Armed Forces, and is the principal military adviser to the President of the United States, the National Security Council, the Homeland Security Council and the Secretary of Defense...
(CJCS) issues an execute order (EXORD) at the direction of the (Secdef)
United States Secretary of Defense
The Secretary of Defense is the head and chief executive officer of the Department of Defense of the United States of America. This position corresponds to what is generally known as a Defense Minister in other countries...
to implement a decision by the President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
to initiate military operations. A concept plan (CONPLAN) is an operation plan in concept form, often lacking the level of details normally found in other military plans.
Among publicly known U.S. Operations Plans are two dealing with possible events on the Korean Peninsula, OPLAN 5027
OPLAN 5027
OPLAN 5027 is a military operation plan by the United States and South Korea for the defense against a North Korean invasion.-History:Before 1973, OPLAN 5027 was primarily focused on defeating a North Korean invasion, with a 50-mile retreat from the penetrated Demilitarized Zone to positions south...
, the U.S. general war plan which has been regularly updated since at least the mid 1990s, and OPLAN 5029
OPLAN 5029
OPLAN 5029 is a proposed military operation plan by the United States and South Korea for dealing with "sudden change" in North Korea, such as a coup d’etat, revolution, large scale defections, outflow of weapons of mass destruction, South Korean hostage incident within North Korea, or major...
, a plan catering to a sudden collapse of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. OPLAN 8044 and OPLAN 8010 are both successor plans to the Single Integrated Operational Plan
Single Integrated Operational Plan
The Single Integrated Operational Plan was the United States' general plan for nuclear war from 1961 to 2003. The SIOP gave the President of the United States a range of targeting options, and described launch procedures and target sets against which nuclear weapons would be launched...
, the general plan for nuclear war from 1961 to 2003. OPLAN 1003-98
U.S. Central Command OPLAN 1003-98
OPLAN 1003–98 was the United States military's pre-2002 contingency plan in event of a war with Iraq. It originally called for 500,000 troops for the invasion and control of Iraq.-Sources:*http://www.commondreams.org/views02/1110-06.htm...
was the pre-2002 plan for war with Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
.
External links
- Operation Plans (OPLAN) - from GlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.orgGlobalSecurity.org, launched in 2000, is a public policy organization focusing on the fields of defense, space exploration, intelligence, weapons of mass destruction and homeland security...