Science, Strategy and War The Strategic Theory of ... - Boekje Pienter

OODA loop of the opponent will lead to another strategic mismatch. According to Boydthis command and control philosophy ensures that units at all levels can maintain a sufficientdegree of interaction with their environment. In the abstract sense it is a self-correctingmechanism much as the way science, technology and engineering are driven by selfcorrectingmechanisms.ConclusionThis discussion has indicated, first, that the popular notion of the ‘rapid OODA loop’ ideadoes not adequately capture what Boyd meant with it, and, secondly, that Boyd must beremembered for more than only the idea that one can gain military victory by more rapidlyOODA looping than the opponent. Boyd’s work is more comprehensive and subtle than theone thing with which Boyd is normally associated with, namely the rapid OODA-loop idea,and it contains various other very valuable insights. The rapid OODA idea is fine for tacticsand the operational level combat. It is a very important idea, one that had an importantimpetus in rediscovering and expanding maneuver warfare theory and doctrine. However,Boyd’s relevance for strategic theory lies more in pointing to the need for systemic isolation,the need to have a variety of orientation patterns and the requirement to maintainorganizational adaptability through a variety of methods. Moreover, as argued in previouschapters it lies in his approach for thinking strategically and the metaphors to examine warand conflict he offers.279