JP 3-01 Countering Air and Missile Threats - Defense Innovation ...

CHAPTER III
COUNTERAIR PLANNING
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a
hundred battles.”
1. General
a. The JFC develops an operation/campaign plan focused on the enemy centers of
gravity (COGs) while ensuring that friendly COGs are protected. Counterair operations
strive for the degree of air superiority and protection required by the JFC’s COA to attain the
desired objectives.
b. Counterair requires a combination of OCA and DCA operations based on the JFC’s
air apportionment decisions and balanced against the enemy’s potential COAs and air and
missile threats. The integration and synchronization of OCA and DCA, in conjunction with
the other joint missions supporting the JFC, are the basis for counterair planning.
c. This chapter discusses counterair planning in the context of preparation, major
considerations, and enabling capabilities that support both OCA and DCA. This discussion
assumes a JFACC is responsible for counterair (specifically OCA operations) and an AADC
is responsible for DCA operations, whether or not the JFACC is designated as both the
AADC and ACA. The joint air operations plan (JAOP) and the AADP, as well as other
detailed planning factors, will be discussed in the respective chapters for OCA and DCA.
d. Counterair planning considerations include accurate joint intelligence preparation of
the operational environment (JIPOE) and intelligence preparation of the battlespace (IPB),
airspace control, ROE, ID and CID requirements, and some major enabling capabilities.
e. GBMD planning complements coordination of cross-AOR aspects of counterair
operations. This process enhances a GCC’s ability to employ forces and capabilities within
their AOR in support of another GCC. Planners must balance competing requirements for
potentially scarce resources. GBMD planning tools assist planners in both preparing and
validating defense designs. See Appendix E, “Global Ballistic Missile Defense
Synchronization.”
2. General
SECTION A. INTELLIGENCE PREPARATION
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
Knowledge of the potential enemy is one of the fundamentals of joint warfare. JIPOE
and IPB are the analytical processes and methodologies employed by joint commands and
Services to produce intelligence assessments, estimates, and other intelligence products to
support the commander’s decision making. JIPOE and IPB generally differ in terms of their
relative purpose, focus, and level of detail. JIPOE is focused at the JFC level, while IPB is
focused at the joint force component command and Service level. To support the decision-
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