Targeting 101:
emerging targeting Doctrine
W
hat constitutes a target? Is it a requires coordinated interaction among
motorized rifle company repo- By LTC David N. Propes, FA many groups.”
sitioning as part of a combined The draft version of FM 3-60 retains
arms reserve, whose potential effect and Associated Terms, a target is de- Decide, Detect, Deliver and Assess
on the battlefield places it squarely on fined as a geographical area, complex (D3A) as the Army’s targeting process.
the brigade combat team (BCT) com- or installation planned for capture or This decision keeps in place a proven
mander’s high-payoff target list? Could destruction by military forces. Targets doctrinal methodology that has been
it be a dug-in infantry strongpoint, posi- also include the wide array of mobile successful for numerous years in exer-
tioned in such a way that it can delay a and stationary forces, equipment, ca- cises and actual combat situations, and
much larger unit’s movement indefinitely pabilities and functions that an enemy continues to be relevant in the current
along an axis of advance? Perhaps it is commander can use to conduct opera- OE. D3A has demonstrated its flexibility
an improvised explosive device produc- tions. In JP 3-0 Joint Operations, the and is recognized in JP 3-60 Joint Target-
tion cell operating among an otherwise term “targeting” is defined as the process ing as the land component commander’s
passive local populace with a notable of selecting and prioritizing targets and interface with the joint targeting cycle
insurgent leader at its head, coordinating matching the appropriate response to by incorporating the same fundamental
an effective, widespread campaign bent them, considering operational require- functions as that process.
on fostering unrest and instability. Is it ments and capabilities. While joint With that being said, the Fires CoE
a single 60-mm mortar, mounted in the doctrine is not fundamentally wrong doctrine writers, as well as a number of
trunk of a sedan, occasionally firing a in its approach on defining targeting, it knowledgeable, experienced targeting
couple of rounds into an adjacent forward does leave the end user, the Soldier in experts from a variety of specialized
operating base and then quickly melting today’s operational environment (OE), fields, recognized the fact that D3A can
back into an indigenous population? lacking a really descriptive, useful and should be improved. Giving the
If you answer yes to all of the above, doctrinal solution. D3A process more flexibility and spe-
you almost certainly have an apprecia- Field Manual (FM) 3-60 The Target- cific targeting methodology additions
tion for the diverse set of targets at all ing Process. The current Army and Fires in FM 3-60 ensures targeting doctrine
levels of warfare that have probably pre- Center of Excellence (CoE), Fort Sill, relevancy in any spectrum of conflict
sented themselves to a targeting officer Oklahoma, effort to clarify this perceived for the foreseeable future.
during the last few years. It is important targeting doctrine shortfall is FM 3-60 The Incorporating Specialized Targeting
to keep in mind that the examples listed Targeting Process (Initial Draft). FM 3-60 Methodologies. In April 2008, the De-
above, in all likelihood, call for the use states that “successful targeting enables partment of the Army tasked Fires CoE to
of lethal targeting to address them, and the commander to synchronize intel- take the lead and examine the Find, Fix,
that there is also an equally diverse array ligence, maneuver, fire support systems, Finish, Exploit, Analyze and Dissemi-
of scenarios which lend themselves to nonlethal systems and special operations nate (F3EAD) targeting methodology
nonlethal targeting. forces by attacking the right target with the and determine if it was valid, emerging
In Joint Publication (JP) 1-02 Depart- best system at the right time. Targeting is doctrine or simply useful tactics, tech-
ment of Defense Dictionary of Military a complex and multidiscipline effort that niques and procedures (TTP)—perhaps
An example of lethal targeting, Precision Attack Missile
(PAM) closes in on its target during a recent test flight at
White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. (Photo courtesy
of Netfires, LLC)
target Number DP0019 establishing HQ ————————
Tier 1
target category Terrorist AQI Tier 2 effective DtG 10 1500 MAR09
Tier 3
tier I II III Tier 1 Target