What’s After Joint? Multi-Domain Operations as the Next ...

1 What's After Joint? Multi-Domain Operations as the next evolution in Warfare A Monograph by Major Jonathan W. Bott United States Air Force School of Advanced Military Studies United States Army Command and General Staff College Fort Leavenworth, Kansas 2017. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited Form Approved REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE OMB No. 0704-0188. Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing this collection of information.

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3 PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1. REPORT DATE (DD-MM-YYYY) 2. REPORT TYPE 3. DATES COVERED (From - To). 15-03-2017 Master's Thesis JUN 2016 MAY 2017. 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER. What's After Joint: Multi-Domain Operations as the next evolution in Warfare. 5b. GRANT NUMBER. 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT NUMBER. 6. AUTHOR(S) 5d. PROJECT NUMBER. Maj Jonathan Bott 5e. TASK NUMBER. 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER. 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORG REPORT. Army Command and General Staff College NUMBER.

4 ATTN: ATZL-SWD-GD. Fort Leavenworth, KS 66027-2301. 9. SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR'S. Advanced Operational Arts Studies Fellowship, Advanced Military Studies ACRONYM(S). Program. 11. SPONSOR/MONITOR'S REPORT. NUMBER(S). 12. DISTRIBUTION / AVAILABILITY STATEMENT. Approved for Public Release; Distribution is Unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES. 14. ABSTRACT. This study describes potential problems facing future joint forces, and tests Multi-Domain theory as a possible solution.

5 After framing the problem, this study uses micro-case studies and recent academic discussions to describe Multi-Domain Operations and its conceptual evolution . It shows how the American joint model developed, the influence of the Goldwater-Nichols Act, and the difficulty of military transformation over the past three decades. After annotating some conceptual joint improvements, this study concludes with a specific discussion of why the adoption of Multi-Domain theory is an immediate requirement and improves joint Operations through problem-based rather than Service-based solutions, integrated rather than deconflicted Operations , and by creating options that exploit emergent opportunities.

6 15. SUBJECT TERMS. Multi-Domain Operations ; Multi-Domain Battle; Joint Warfare; Anti-Access/Area Denial; Goldwater- Nichols Act; Interdependancy; Emergence; Mission Command; Cross-Domain; Military Affairs evolution 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION 18. NUMBER 19a. NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON. OF ABSTRACT OF PAGES Maj Jonathan Bott a. REPORT b. ABSTRACT c. THIS PAGE 19b. PHONE NUMBER (include area code). (U) (U) (U) (U) 66. Standard Form 298 (Rev. 8-98). Prescribed by ANSI Std. Monograph Approval Page Name of Candidate: Major Jonathan W.

7 Bott Monograph Title: What's After Joint? Multi-Domain Operations as the next evolution in Warfare Approved by: _____, Monograph Director Daniel G. Cox, PhD. _____, Seminar Leader Robert L. Smith, COL. _____, Director, School of Advanced Military Studies James C. Markert, COL. Accepted this 25th day of May 2017 by: _____, Director, Graduate Degree Programs Prisco R. Hernandez, PhD. The opinions and conclusions expressed herein are those of the student author and do not necessarily represent the views of the Army Command and General Staff College or any other government agency.

8 (References to this study should include the foregoing statement.). Fair use determination or copyright permission has been obtained for the inclusion of pictures, maps, graphics, and any other works incorporated into this manuscript. A work of the United States Government is not subject to copyright, however further publication or sale of copyrighted images is not permissible. ii Abstract What's After Joint? Multi-Domain Operations as the next evolution in Warfare, by Maj Jonathan W. Bott, USAF, 66 pages. This study describes potential problems facing future joint forces, and tests Multi-Domain theory as a possible solution.

9 After framing the problem, this study uses micro-case studies and recent academic discussions to describe Multi-Domain Operations and its conceptual evolution . It shows how the American joint model developed, the influence of the Goldwater-Nichols Act, and the difficulty of military transformation over the past three decades. After annotating some conceptual joint improvements, this study concludes with a specific discussion of why the adoption of multi- domain theory is an immediate requirement and improves joint Operations through problem-based rather than service-based solutions, integrated rather than deconflicted Operations , and by creating options that exploit emergent opportunities.

10 Military commentators have identified an impending crisis based on the proliferation of technology, anti-access strategies, growing multi-polarity, and increased complexity mixing regular and irregular warfare. As competitors increase their joint capabilities, the United States military must evolve its military theories, avoiding the stasis. Joint Operations often deconflict rather than integrate Operations . The military cannot depend on continuous domain superiority and must become resilient while temporarily ceding superiority in any one domain.