Lessons of Operation Desert Hammer VI: Part II: Doctrine: The Lesson of OperationDesert Hammer VI: Our Doctrine is Basically Sound

摘要

Operation Desert Hammer VI (ODH VI) represented the first time that the Armyfielded a battalion task force, digitally linked across Battlefield Operating Systems (BOS), and put it to a severe test at the National Training Center. The task force possessed over 120 digital systems that linked the key leaders of the task force with digital communications. Although the task force was not 100-percent digitized, significant doctrinal lessons did emerge from ODH VI that indicate the future direction of tactical warfare. The overarching lesson of ODH VI was that fundamental combat skills remain essential for battlefield success. Leaders and soldiers must understand the essential business of warfighting. The extent to which lethality, survivability, and tempo are achieved depends upon the commander's ability to create favorable conditions on the battlefield. The commander must see the battlefield as a precondition for directing his unit to maneuver and shape the battlefield. Only by appreciating the terrain, enemy, and friendly forces can the commander identify and choose those times and locations at which favorable conditions can be achieved.