General
Capability-based planning (CBP) is a methodical process that identifies future CF capabilities through the analysis of CDS-approved Force Development scenarios; these scenarios are based on National policy and interests and our assessment of the current and future security environment. CBP seeks to identify force-wide capability goals and the gaps in our capabilities and prioritize them. This process will ensure a coherent and rational approach to force development that reflects the interests of the Canadian people as announced in government policy. CBP is the first step in an iterative process that takes into account scenario analysis, lessons learned, institutional experience and future technological developments.
The CBP process produces a prioritized list of future CF capability goals and any gaps or affluences. This output feeds into the Capability Management process, also under the Chief of Force Development, which will examine force options using a variety of tools and operational research to provide force development recommendations to JCRB or its successor.
The top-down approach to FD planning with guidance from the CDS and the Government of Canada through the Defence Policy Statement 2005 gives a broader focus to CF Force Development. The process looks at acquisition activities holistically to ensure that we have the right equipment and people at the right time ready to meet our operational tasks.
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CBP - An Overview
- The CF Capability Based Planning (CBP) process is a crucial part of top-down Force Development (FD). It is based on Government Policy, and serves to define and prioritize CF capability goals, gaps and affluences. The results of CBP will feed into CF Capability Management, which, as the second phase of FD, will provide options to deliver the identified CF capability gaps and address the affluences. The CF CBP process is still in development.
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Definitions and Process
- Scenarios. Grounded in the Defence Policy Statement 2005, a set of CDS- approved, realistic, real world scenarios is being prepared. The scenarios will provide mission descriptors framed in political and military ambitions as well as the political and geographic background in sufficient detail to support analysis and the remainder of the CBP process.
- Mission Analysis. Using the information provided in the scenario, mission analysis is conducted using a modified version of the Operational Planning Process (OPP). Courses of Action (COAs) are developed and compared. The emphasis is on the effect to be achieved by tasks and capabilities rather than the troops or platforms delivering the effect. Selected COAs are further developed producing a Lines of Operation diagram and synchronization matrix for each COA detailing the tasks to be done to achieve mission success. The mission analysis results are wargamed to ensure that the Lines of Operation are complete and provide sufficient detail on desired effects to fully define all mission tasks. The wargame also contributes to a common understanding of the effects to be achieved and the frequency and consequence of the tasks. (The purpose of the wargame is not to determine or validate the best COA.)
- Task and Capability Analysis. The CBP team analyzes the tasks to determine their frequency within the mission and their consequence to mission success. Once the tasks have been assessed, capabilities are identified and assessed in relation to their contribution to the task either as doers of the task or enablers. The final step in this phase is to assess the frequency and consequence of each capability to the entire list of tasks.
- Scenario Capability Goals. Tasks are grouped by common effects or similarities in theme. For each task, a task capability goal is derived influenced by the capability enablers and doers, frequency and consequence. The task capability goals specify the range of effects, the reach, agility, persistence of the effects and the information contributing to or resulting from the task. For each themed group of tasks, an overall capability goal statement is prepared to define the scenario specific capability goal.
- CF Capability Goals. Once all the scenarios have been analysed, the scenario capability goals will be rolled up into CF capability goals. It is anticipated that further analysis of the likelihood and consequence of the scenario missions will allow the prioritization of CF capability goals.
- Gap/Affluences Analysis. With the approved CF capability goals, an assessment of the current or soon to be CF force structure will be done and compared to the capability goals. This will identify CF capability gaps and affluences. These results will feed the Capability Management process to address the identified CF capability gaps and affluences.
Summary
- The CF CBP process identifies the CF capability gaps and affluence in a deliberate, auditable manner, so that the capability goals, gaps and affluences can be traced back to government policy, as articulated in the Defence Policy Statement.
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Capabilities Based Planning
Capabilities Based Planning.ppt
OPI: DDA 4-5
Approved by: LCcol RPF Parker (DDA4) (February 2006)
