Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Ahnaf Ibn Qais's avatar

If all of Philosophy is "mere footnotes to Plato", then all Modern Military Theory are "mere footnotes to Colonel Boyd & friends". The past few decades of advancements in doctrine have cemented this.

The Decomposition of the OODA-loop is precisely the reason why the new "MAD[->E]" (i.e. Missiles, Artillery, Drones [-> Escalation]) are pursed by Murica's adversaries.

In a way, even though they have long since disrupted one or more elements of said acronym, they have been unable to go out of said framework.

This is because the OODA loop best describes (as neatly & succinctly as possible) the role of Human Agency & Volition in warfare; something which the European writers (like Clausewitz & friends) forewent in favour of larger, more Deterministic & 'aloof' factors BEYOND said things.

The New MAD has decomposed the OODA-loop in the following manner:

1] Regarding "Observation" - As Martyanov notes in "The Real Revolution in Military Affairs", you cannot "stop that which you cannot see" (paraphrasing). Enter Hypersonic Glide Vehicles; low orbit, invisible to radar munitions that cannot be "Seen" by most conventional means. This is "M".

2] Regarding "Orientation" - Drones & Loitering munitions in general have made conventional notions of "Orientation" useless. The Human mind can only be 'fully alert' for a limited period of time. Drone Swarms, timed & executed at proper time intervals means a rupture in said feeble mental orientation. "You can't orient if you cannot steel your nerves".

3] Regarding "Deciding" & "Decision" - Stalin's observation that Artillery is the 'god of war' has only been cemented further by advances in Russian doctrine. Today's Russia (and to a smaller extent China & Iran) can *disrupt* wholly or in part most Ground based decision making using Heavy Artillery. Likewise, strikes to air & naval facilities can disrupt in whole or part said areas.

4] Regarding Action - The final variable... namely "[->E]"!

The idea here is that given sufficient leaps in Missiles, Artillery & Drones and their effective use on the field (qualitative & quantitative), All meaningful avenues of Action are constrained & cut off. In Chess terms, the Foe/Enemy is in "Zugzwang" ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zugzwang )

This is "Escalation Dominance" of a particular sort. The "[]" mean 'YIELDED' so "MAD[]" read "Missiles, Artillery & Drones YIELDED". The "->" is just "Resultant". So... "MAD[->E] reads "Missiles, Artillery & Drones YIELDED resultant Escalatory Dominance".

So this is the step above merely "Material" Escalation Dominance (which is primarily regarding logistical & related concerns pre-battelfield); this is "OODA-defeasible" Escalation Dominance. Or to put it in less jargon filled terms... "De-feasing" Escalation Dominance.

Expand full comment
Hans G. Schantz's avatar

A more easily readable "OODA Loop" figure is available here: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:OODA.gif

Expand full comment
20 more comments...

No posts