Military operation is a general term used for hostile actions of the military to complete a specific mission. It is used not only for combat actions, but also for information, reconnaissance, maneuver, campaign, reserve and rear service supply, maintenance and hygiene. It consists of various activities as well as strategy and tactics. The meaning of operation is broader, including military affairs and training. Also, as a convention, strategic units above the division (units that are capable of independently performing combat actions for a certain period of time) are referred to as “operation” and smaller units as “combat”. Self-defense forces read operation as action.
In order to make the operation effective and appropriate firstly the operation concept is generated and the plan is formulated. This is then concretely realized.
CONCEPT OF OPERATIONAL STRATEGY
It defines the basic framework for operations and forms the basis for formulating operational plans. There is no fixed model for this concept; however, defense plan for large units as the front army and above determines the objectives of the operation. It outlines the battlefield and its duration, and the necessary supplies. It implements the prediction of hostility and outlines of the operation plan by formulating according to precautions on military unit level.
Beyond simply describing the events in war, military theory is analysis of rule-bound behavior and trends in military service and military history.
Theories and concepts of warfare have varied in different places throughout human history. Global military theorists laid the foundation for military operation planing, military tactics and transportation.
Military operation is the military action by a state or non-state actor as a reaction to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a plan to resolve the situation in favor of the actor of the operation or of the state. Operations can be combat or non-combat natured and are carried out in defense of the national security. Military operations aim to eliminate internal and external threats.
Military tactics is the art of preparing a military force. It is the techniques that combine military units to stall and defeat the enemy. Military tactics is the answer to questions regarding the employment and use of a force.
Tactical planning paints a picture of the entire process. This process becomes successful through operation design, which represents the artistic aspect of war and differs from tactical level. Tactical level is planned with procedures that become rules and information that can be expressed as theory; whereas on operational level the knowledge, intelligence and intuitions of the leader come into play.
Existing tools, methods and risks are taken into consideration in order to reach the desired ultimate state.
A limited number of critical factors regarding system approach are analyzed on tactical level; on operational level this analysis is joined by phases such as center of gravity, target management, risk management, determination of certain endpoints and design of the operation. As currently practiced, the rules of both the tactical and operational level are clear in terms of the decision-making model. The strategic level is implemented based on the circumstances. Thus, the decision-making models at all levels are built on rationality concept which assumes that everything can be predicted and measured given the necessary information.
Military policy (also referred to as defense policy) is a multinational public policy that deals with security and the military. It consists of measures taken or not taken by governments, such as when to deploy the national armed forces and how.
Military policy, together with foreign policy is used to protect independence in international relations, to mitigate the difficulties imposed by hostile and aggressive external actors. The Ministry of National Defense is the primary decision-maker for national military policy.
Military policy defines threats of hostility and offense based on intelligence analysis. It also defines the military scope of national security, defense alliances, combat readiness, national forces’ use of military units and technology.
Military intelligence is a military discipline consisting of intelligence and analysis approaches. Military intelligence is provided by evaluating data from a variety of sources to respond to commanders’ requirements in missions or in operation planning.
It is the gathering of information, directing collection means to obtain information about the enemy, the air and the terrain necessary for the planning, direction and conduct of military operations. Its duties include planning and implementing counter-intelligence and security missions, as well as the creation of combat intelligence, involving the conversion of the analysis into intelligence, its dissemination and use.
A military unit is the structure in armed forces of states to ensure the military ability necessitated by national military policy. Although they are not completely recognized in some countries, paramilitary forces are also included in armed forces of a country. Official military institutions tend to follow the hierarchical forms; however, armed forces like rebellious forces who are not a part of military or paramilitary organizations often mimic military units.
Gendarmeries, including paramilitary forces and their equivalents, are common internal security services in much of the world. These forces can be used to assist armed forces.
National military corps is usually led by civil or partly civil executives. Depending on positions, armed forces have certain major operational divisions.
They have specific divisions who are responsible for provision and management of specialized skills and knowledge-based services such as strategy advice, capability development assessment or military science research provision, design and development of technologies. Each department has specialized administrative branches.
Military logistics is the discipline of planning and executing military operations, supply and maintenance of the armed forces. Some of the tasks that military logistics deals with are as follows:
– Design, development and procurement of military equipment
– Storage, distribution, maintenance and repair
– Evacuation and disposal
– Transportation of military personnel
– Procurement, construction, maintenance and repair of facilities
– Operation and evacuation
– Provision or equipment of services
– Providing health and medical services support
Logistics, in its most general form, is an important part of our lives. There is hardly an activity that does not make use of logistics in the least. Since one of the basic functions of logistics is to replace missing or required goods, logistics can be found wherever and whenever there is consumption of goods. War is described as a very complex process and has been intertwined with logistics throughout history. Since military logistics is a broad subject, it is defined as a special system that creates and maintains the military-defense capabilities of the armed forces. Keywords such as “create” and “maintain” describe logistics as a process. Logistics is an activity that should not be interrupted. Every interruption or negligence in logistics activities affects the capabilities of the armed forces.
It affects the lives of the armed forces, their peacetime drill and training, their mobilization, crisis-time deployment, advancement, combat capability in case of war, and sustainable peacekeeping operations.
In addition, military logistics can be defined as a bridge between the economic resources of the state and the military-defense subsystems, where all the measurements needed for the realization of strategic and operational goals are planned and implemented. The art of logistics is based on integrating strategic, operational and tactical plans into the current situation on the battlefield.
The economic infrastructure of a state is an important factor that determines the quality and quantity of its armed forces. Likewise, logistical capability determines the number of forces that can be deployed in battle. In this sense, economic-logistical factors determine the limits of the strategy. The effects of logistics may vary according to authentic strategic plans and specific operations.
A military operation is the coordinated military action of a state or non-state actor in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in favor of the state or actor. Operations may be of a combat or non-combat nature.
Operation plan
A plan is developed on the basis of the operational concept. The general aim of the operation is to destroy the enemy as soon as possible and the plan is created accordingly. The operational plan combines the operational forecasts of personnel, territorial forecasts, information forecasts, logistics forecasts, the commander’s concept, unit operations and various associated activities. Matters to be complied with are determined. The strategy plan should be prepared according to a certain model so that the thinking sequence is rational and errorless. This type corresponds to the operational command for easy command.
The process of creating a standard operational plan is as follows:
1) Comprehensive assessment and reasoning of the situation
At this stage not only enemy elements but also relevant units of its own army, assigned/excluded units, terrain and weather conditions are comprehensively organized. Information estimations prepared by personnel can be used at this stage.
2) The concept of operational guidance
The commander’s strategic guidance concept is formed by dividing it into policies and instructions. It is essential to give a brief summary of the policy as it is the basis of action throughout the operation to accomplish the mission. The working process is the core of understanding the system, a more in-depth and concrete version of the policy.
3) Duties of the units
At each stage of the operation, the duties of the units is clarified. However, apart from the initial phase of the battle, they areflexible and are intentionally not too detailed so that they can adapt to changes in the situation.
4) Personnel and logistics
5) Command and communication
Operation
The most crucial aspect in carrying out and executing an instruction, in taking an operational action is to be able to respond to changes in the situation. Therefore, in ground troop warfare, having sufficient reserve forces andflexibility of command are essential for successful operations. In naval and air operations, the focus should be on maximum force at the desired time and place, rather than reserve forces, and it is necessary to monitor whether the commanded unit is acting correctly.
Classification of military operations
The most common are forms of warfare, which can be classified asdivided into offensive operations, defensive operations, and pursuit-retreat operations. Other classes also include special, mountain, river crossing, air, anti-submarine and airborne operations.
