Developing a Campaign Plan to Target Centers of Gravity Within Economic Systems

摘要

In 1994, Arnold et al. conducted a research study which attempted tomathematically model a nation's economy. Titled 'Targeting Financial Systems as CoGs: Low Intensity to No Intensity', the results of this study purported to identify specific financial elements that could provide likely targets for the conduct of economic warfare. This project furthers the original statistical effort and adds to this a campaign planning approach (including both systems and operational level analyses) for more clearly identifying these likely targets. Although various critical elements were identified for each country, one of these-trade-cut across the broad spectrum of GDP values. As a result, for the purposes of this research, trade was overall defined as that element which contributed most to each national economy. Subsequently, communications and data networks were identified as those subsets of the trade system which could provide the most lucrative intervention sites. Because of the trade/communications and data network relationship and the modern tendency to limit the collateral influence of an attacker's actions, this project also addresses new methods of warfare which, surprisingly, are readily available today in a variety of forms. Finally, this project addresses the possible ramifications of the transition of warfare from its traditional form. But while the preceding sections can provide a planner a usable framework, this last can only provide fuel for continuing the ongoing national debate.