text: Foundations of Operations
  the impact of enemy attacks against strategic and operational lines of communications. In both cases,
  forward-stationed Army forces must be prepared to fight while relatively isolated in the early stages of an
  enemy attack.
  1-20. The likelihood of the enemy force’s use of massed long-range fires and weapons of mass destruction
  increases during large-scale combat operations—particularly against command and control (C2) and
  sustainment nodes, assembly areas, and critical infrastructure. To survive and operate against massed long-
  range fires and in contaminated environments, commanders ensure as much dispersion as tactically prudent.
  Army forces seek every possible advantage using dispersion, deception, counterreconnaissance, terrain,
  cover, concealment, masking, and other procedures to avoid detection and mitigate the impact of enemy fires.
  In the offense, Army forces maneuver quickly along multiple axes, concentrating only to the degree required
  to mass effects, and then dispersing to avoid becoming lucrative targets for weapons of mass destruction and
  enemy conventional fires. Although dispersion disrupts enemy targeting efforts, it increases the difficulty of
  both C2 and sustainment for friendly forces. Success demands agile units that are able to adjust dispositions
  rapidly, assume risk, and exploit opportunities when they are available.
  1-21. The high tempo of large-scale combat operations creates gaps and seams, generating both opportunities
  and risks as enemy formations disintegrate, disperse, or displace. After generating sufficient combat power
  for offensive operations, friendly forces may intermingle with or fix and bypass enemy formations. This
  requires follow-on and supporting units to protect themselves and to defeat enemy remnants in detail within
  the rear area as part of consolidating gains.
  1-22. Army forces deploying from the United States and elsewhere face a wide range of threats that are
  difficult to counter without joint support. The disruptive effects of enemy action may occur at unit home
  stations, ports of embarkation, while in transit to the theater, and upon arrival at ports of debarkation. Army
  forces may not have the capability, or the authority, to preempt these attacks, although counterintelligence
  may aid in early identification of threats. The threat’s ability to contest the deployment of forces may degrade
  combat power available to forward forces and cause unit personnel and equipment to arrive in piecemeal
  fashion at ports of debarkation. (See Appendix C for more information on deployments contested by threat
  forces.)
  LETHALITY: OVERCOMING CHALLENGES
  1-23. Army forces overcome challenges posed by threats and the environment with credible formations able
  to employ lethal capabilities. Lethality is the capability and capacity to destroy. Employing and threatening
  the employment of lethal force lies at the core of how Army forces achieve objectives and enable the rest of
  the instruments of national power to achieve objectives.
  1-24. Lethality is enabled by formations maneuvering into positions of relative advantage where they can
  employ weapon systems and mass effects to destroy enemy forces or place them at risk of destruction. The
  speed, range, and accuracy of weapon systems employed by a formation enhance its lethality. The demands
  of large-scale combat rapidly deplete available stockpiles and require forces to retain large reserves of
  ammunition, weapons, and other warfighting capabilities. Leaders multiply the effects of lethal force by
  employing combinations of capabilities through multiple domains to create, accrue, and exploit relative
  advantages—imposing multiple dilemmas on enemy forces and overwhelming their ability to respond
  effectively. Overcoming challenges in the operational environment further requires lethal Army forces that
  employ all available capabilities to—
  (cid:122) Continuously cultivate landpower networks with allies and partners to facilitate interoperability.
  (cid:122) Be demonstrably prepared for large-scale combat operations to deter conflict on land.
  (cid:122) Employ capabilities in a combined arms manner to create exploitable opportunities.
  (cid:122) Maneuver, mass effects, and preserve combat power to defeat threats to other Service components
  of the joint force.
  (cid:122) Defend forward-positioned critical joint infrastructure and key terrain.
  (cid:122) Conduct offensive operations to create and exploit opportunities and achieve objectives.
  (cid:122) Consolidate gains during competition, crisis, and armed conflict to enable sustainable political
  outcomes.