ATP-5-0-2-1 Staff Reference Guide Volume 1 Download
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Chapter 2 44 ATP 5-0.2-1 07 December 2020 Note. COA development focuses mainly on the movement and maneuver warfighting function with the other war fighting functions supporting. 2-133. Calculate a correlation of forces and means (COFM) at each location where friendly forces affect the threat. Base COFMs on minimum historical planning ratios. For example, defenders have over a 51% probability of defeating an attacking force approximately three times their equivalent strength. Therefore, as a starting point, commanders should defend with at least a 1:3 force ratio (see table 2-12 for historical minimum planning ratios). Table 2-12. Historical minimum planning ratios FM 6-0, FM 3-90-1 Friendly Mission Friendly : Enemy Hasty defend 1 : 2.5 Deliberate defend 1 : 3 Hasty attack 2.5 : 1 Deliberate attack 3 : 1 Delay 1 : 6 Counterattack 1 : 1 Penetration (lead element) 18 : 1 2-134. Combat power comparisons are subjective at best. Arraying forces is complex, inexact work affected by factors that are difficult to gauge, such as— Impact of past engagements. Quality of leaders. Morale. Maintenance of equipment. Time in position. 2-135. Planners determine whether these factors, along with other lethal and non-lethal effects, increase the relative combat power of the unit assigned the task to the point that it exceeds the historical planning ratio for that task. If not, planners determine how to either increase friendly unit combat power or decrease enemy combat power. 2-136. If planners are still not able to reach historical planning ratios, the staff determine if the COA is feasible. To ensure feasibility, the staff needs to either request additional resources from higher echelons; determine if the commander is willing to accept risk in low priority SOs; or, if applicable, execute tasks sequentially rather than simultaneously. These options might create or modify phases or changes to the main and supporting effort(s). 2-137. Once all combat power has been allocated and arrayed in the AO, planners determine the sustaining operations required to ensure the operation is successful and still feasible. Upon completion, planners place any required graphic control measures on the sketch. 2-138. Continually check screening criteria throughout COA development. After confirming sustaining operations requirements, do a final check on whether the COA meets screening criteria. If not, change or eliminate the COA. 2-139. Leaders use screening criteria to ensure COAs considered can solve the problem. Screening criteria define the limits of an acceptable COA. They are tools to establish baseline products for analysis. Leaders may reject a COA based solely on the application of screening criteria. Leaders commonly ask five questions as screening criteria to test a possible COA: Is it feasible? Can it be accomplished within available resources? Is it acceptable? Is it worth the cost or risk?