text: Chapter 2
  Threats
  The various actors in any area of operations can qualify as a threat, an enemy, an
  adversary, a neutral, or a friend. A threat is any combination of actors, entities, or forces
  that have the capability and intent to harm United States forces, United States national
  interests, or the homeland (ADP 3-0). Threats may include individuals, groups of
  individuals (organized or not organized), paramilitary or military forces, nation-states,
  or national alliances. Threats become enemies when they execute their capability to do
  harm to the United States.
  An enemy is a party identified as hostile against which the use of force is authorized
  (ADP 3-0). An enemy is a combatant and therefore is treated as such. An adversary is
  a party acknowledged as potentially hostile to a friendly party and against which the
  use of force may be envisaged (JP 3-0). During offensive, defensive, and stability
  operations, a neutral is a party identified as neither supporting nor opposing friendly
  or enemy forces (ADP 3-0). A hybrid threat is the diverse and dynamic combination
  of regular forces, irregular forces, terrorists, or criminal elements unified to achieve
  mutually benefitting effects (ADP 3-0). (Refer to ADP 3-0 and JP 3-0 for more
  information.)
  SECTION I − UNDERSTANDING THE THREAT
  A peer threat is an adversary or enemy able to oppose U.S. forces worldwide effectively while enjoying
  a position of relative advantage in a specific region. These threats can generate equal or temporarily superior
  combat power in geographical proximity to a conflict area with U.S. forces. A peer threat also may have a
  cultural affinity to specific regions, providing them with relative advantages in terms of time, space, and
  sanctuary. They generate tactical, operational, and strategic challenges, an order of magnitude more
  challenging militarily than other adversaries. (Refer to ADP 3-0 for more information.)
  Note. Threat forces use the term electronic warfare, which differs from U.S. doctrine’s use of
  electromagnetic warfare. Electronic warfare consists of the measure’s threats conduct to control
  or deny friendly use of the electromagnetic spectrum, while ensuring its use by the threat. For U.S.
  forces, electromagnetic warfare is military action involving the use of electromagnetic and
  directed energy to control the electromagnetic spectrum or to attack the enemy (JP 3-85).
  Understanding threats, enemies, and adversaries, to include both state and nonstate actors in the context
  of the operational environment, is essential for the BCT commander to understand, visualize, describe, direct,
  lead, and assess operations. To develop and maintain estimates of the situation as the basis for continuous
  adaptation, commanders and staffs consider their own forces in the context of threats, enemies, and
  adversaries as well as the mission, terrain, friendly forces, and civilian populations. The BCT must be
  prepared to engage in close combat with adaptive enemies and adversaries while operating in complex terrain
  and among civilian populations. Actors in the operational environment may include regular or irregular
  forces, or agents of—
  * Other nation-states.
  * Political parties and officials.
  * Transnational criminal organizations.