Naval Perspectives for Military Doctrine Development.

Abstract : Theoretical treatment of different types of military doctrine, including multi-service naval doctrine. The two basic aspects of doctrine are how a profession thinks and how it practices. Research then turn to what influences military doctrine: current policy, available resources, current strategy, campaign concepts, current doctrine, current threats, history and lessons learned, strategic and service culture, current technology, geography, demographics, and types of government. Note that a majority of these influences are current and not enduring leading to a tension between the need to be responsive to current issues and the search for principles, in turn, military doctrine influences tactics, techniques, procedures, local tactical directives, rules of engagement, training and education, organization and force structure, analyses, programming, campaign planning, strategy, policy, and other forms of military doctrine. Final discussion area concerns degree of directiveness that should be found in doctrine. There are no easy answers to this question which lies at the heart of any controversies over doctrine. Conclusions deal with what, then, is naval doctrine: common cultural perspective, fundamental principles, shared way of harmonious thinking, the art of the admiral, the heart of naval warfare.