text: Chapter 4
  MISSION ANALYSIS
  4-29. Commanders and their staff conduct mission analysis to better understand the situation and problem,
  and to identify the purpose of the operation. It is the most important step in MDMP and consists of 18 sub-
  steps, many of which are performed concurrently. (See FM 6-0, Chapter 9) The IO officer ensures each output
  or product from this step includes relevant factors or tie-ins. The IO officer also participates in other staff
  processes (such as IPB and targeting) to ensure IO is properly integrated. For the IO officer, mission analysis
  focuses on developing information and products that will be used during the rest of the operations process.
  ANALYZE HIGHER HEADQUARTERS’ PLAN OR ORDER
  4-30. Mission analysis begins with a thorough examination of the higher headquarters OPLAN/OPORD in
  terms of the commander's initial guidance. By examining higher echelon plans, commanders and staffs learn
  how higher headquarters plan to conduct IO and which resources and higher headquarters assets are available.
  The IO officer researches these plans and orders to understand the—
  * Higher commander's intent and concept of operations.
  * Higher headquarters area of operations and interest, mission and task constraints, acceptable risk,
  and available assets.
  * Higher headquarters schedule for conducting the operation.
  * Missions of adjacent units.
  4-31. Planning to conduct IO without considering these factors may result in an uncoordinated operation,
  which will hamper overall mission effectiveness. A thorough analysis also helps to determine if additional,
  external IO support is necessary.
  PERFORM INITIAL INTELLIGENCE PREPARATION OF THE BATTLEFIELD
  4-32. During mission analysis, the G-2 (S-2) prepares IPB products or updates existing products and the
  initial IPB is performed upon receipt of the mission. The G-2 (S-2), with assistance and input from other staff
  elements, uses IPB to define the area of operations/interest, describe its effects, evaluate the threat, and
  determine threat courses of action. Figure 4-3, on page 4-8, lists possible IO-related factors to consider during
  each IPB step. During IPB, the IO officer works with the G-2 (S-2) to determine threat capabilities and
  vulnerabilities in the information environment regarding both the threat and other relevant targets and
  audiences in the area of operations.
  Define the Information Environment
  4-33. The information environment has always affected military operations. IO officers, working with the
  G-2 (S-2), use available intelligence to analyze the information environment and the threat’s use of
  information. This information is submitted to the G-2 (S-2) to answer intelligence gaps that address how
  information environment factors affect operations. The G-2 (S-2) obtains the information from strategic and
  national-level databases, country studies, collection assets and, when necessary, other intelligence agencies.
  4-34. As part of defining the battlefield environment, the G-2 (S-2) establishes the limits of the area of
  interest. The area of interest includes areas outside the area of operations that are occupied by threat or other
  forces/groups that can affect mission accomplishment. This fact is particularly true from an information
  environment perspective. The ability to obtain and pass information has vastly expanded the capacity of
  actors to affect areas of operations from anywhere. The IO officer ensures that the G-2 (S-2) considers this
  factor of the information environment in defining the area of interest for IPB.
  4-35. As stated in Chapter 2, one of the enabling activities of IO is analyzing and understanding the
  information environment in all its complexity. Using the IPB process to accomplish this task, the IO officer
  develops a series of information overlays, as well as combined information overlays, to depict the information
  aspects of the operational environment.
  4-36. The IO officer provides input to help the G-2 (S-2) develop IPB templates, databases, social network
  diagrams, and other products that portray information about threats and other key groups or audiences in the