Updated December 8, 2020
Defense Primer: Army Multi-Domain Operations (MDO)
As an operational concept, Multi-Domain Operations
actual or threatened employment of conventional
(MDO) influence what types of weapon systems and
forces. By creating instability within countries and
equipment the Army procures, what types and numbers of
alliances, China and Russia create political
soldiers are needed, and what type of training is required—
separation that results in strategic ambiguity
significant legislative concerns for Congress. In this regard,
reducing the speed of friendly recognition, decision,
an understanding of MDO could prove beneficial for
and reaction. Through these competitive actions,
congressional oversight activities.
China and Russia believe they can achieve
What Are Multi-Domain Operations
objectives below the threshold of armed conflict.
(MDO)?
Army leadership believes that if the Army—in conjunction
According to the U.S. Army’s Training and Doctrine
with the other Services—prevails in these “competitions” in
Command (TRADOC):
all “domains,” that U.S. national security objectives should
be achieved.
Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) describes how
the U.S. Army, as part of the joint force [Army,
How MDO Is Intended to Work
Navy, Air Force, and Marines] can counter and
The Army’s central idea is to prevail by competing
defeat a near-peer adversary capable of contesting
successfully in all domains short of conflict, deterring a
the U.S. in all domains [air, land, maritime, space,
potential enemy. If deterrence fails, Army forces—along
and cyberspace] in both competition and armed
with the Joint Force—are to do the following:
conflict. The concept describes how U.S. ground
Penetrate enemy anti-access and area denial systems
forces, as part of the joint and multinational team,
(layered and integrated long-range precision-strike systems,
deter adversaries and defeat highly capable near-
littoral anti-ship capabilities, air defenses, and long-range
peer enemies in the 2025-2050 timeframe.
artillery and rocket systems) to enable strategic and
MDO provides commanders numerous options for
operational maneuver of U.S. forces.
executing simultaneous and sequential operations
using surprise and the rapid and continuous
Dis-integrate—disrupt, degrade, or destroy enemy anti-
integration of capabilities across all domains to
access and area denial systems to enable operational and
present multiple dilemmas to an adversary in order
tactical maneuver of U.S. forces.
to gain physical and psychological advantages and
influence and control over the operational
Exploit the resulting freedom of maneuver to achieve
operational and strategic objectives by defeating enemy
environment.
forces in all domains.
Why Did the Army Adopt MDO?
Re-compete—consolidate gains across domains and force a
MDO is described in detail in a December 2018 Army
return to competition on favorable terms to the United
publication titled The U.S. Army in Multi-Domain
States and allies.
Operations 2028. MDO was developed in response to the
2018 National Defense Strategy, which shifted the previous
How Will MDO Change the
focus of U.S. national security from countering violent
Organization of the Army?
extremists worldwide to confronting revisionist powers—
As part of the release of The U.S. Army in Multi-Domain
primarily Russia and China—that are said to “want to shape
Operations 2028, an Army official described to the media
a world consistent with their authoritarian model—gaining
veto authority over other nations’ economic, diplomatic,
that specific Army echelons will be given different
and security decisions.”
“problems” to address under MDO. Existing Divisions and
According to The U.S. Army in
Corps will be tasked with fighting and defeating specific
Multi-Domain Operations 2028:
components of the enemy’s system. As such, the Army will
no longer organize or center itself on Brigade Combat
China and Russia exploit the conditions of the
Teams (BCTs) as it did under previous National Defense
operational environment to achieve their objectives
Strategies. Under the previous BCT-centered organizational
without resorting to armed conflict by fracturing the
construct, Divisions and Corps had a limited warfighting
U.S.’s alliances, partnerships, and resolve. They
role, but under MDO, Divisions and Corps headquarters are
attempt to create stand-off through the integration
to return to their historic warfighting roles, in which they
of
diplomatic
and
economic
actions,
employed subordinate units and allocated Corps- and
unconventional and information warfare (social
Division-level assets to support subordinate units.
media, false narratives, cyber-attacks), and the
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Defense Primer: Army Multi-Domain Operations (MDO)
According to the online magazine Breaking Defense, MDO
political considerations. Because of the geographic
calls for the creation of Field Armies, an intermediate
distinctions between the European and Indo-Pacific
command level between already established Theater
theaters, individual higher-echelon AimPoint formation
Armies—such as U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) or U.S.
force structure will likely differ by theater as opposed to
Army Europe (USAREUR)—and Corps. While one Field
current one-size-fits-all units.
Army currently exists—the U.S. 8th Army in Korea—it is
not known how many more Field Armies are envisioned
(For additional information on the Army’s AimPoint Force
under MDO, where they would come from within Army
Structure Initiative, see CRS In Focus IF11542, The Army’s
force structure, and where they might be stationed. These
AimPoint Force Structure Initiative, by Andrew Feickert.)
Field Armies would supposedly be capable of commanding
multiple Corps against near-peer threats.
The Need for a Joint MDO Doctrine?
Some suggest a shared vision among the Services on multi-
The Army’s Way Ahead
domain operations is insufficient and a joint doctrine for
Army leaders reportedly note that MDO will not only have
MDO is needed. Such a joint MDO doctrine could compel
an impact on Army organizations and operations; it will
the Services to adopt a coordinated approach to MDO and
drive Army modernization efforts as well, in terms of
ensure corresponding investments are made in systems
development and acquisition of supporting capabilities and
needed to successfully prosecute MDO. The last joint
systems. Army leadership seeks to have MDO become a
doctrine, Doctrine for the Armed Forces of the United
joint, multiservice operational concept instead of Army-
States (JP-1), was published in 2013 and updated in 2017,
centric.
but this update does not fully take into account the current
National Security or National Defense Strategies’ emphasis
Project Convergence
on great power competition. Reportedly, a new Joint
Started in the summer of 2020, Project Convergence is a
Warfighting Concept is in the final stages of development
new Army initiative designed to rapidly merge the
and is expected to be given to DOD leadership by the end
Service’s capabilities with Joint Force assets in the air,
of this year.
land, sea, space, and cyber domains. The Army currently
plans to conduct Project Convergence in 2021 and 2022 and
How the Joint Force Intends to Compete
potentially beyond 2022 as well. Project Convergence is
The notion of the Army “competing” as part of the Joint
intended to inform and test MDO concepts, technologies,
Force is a novel concept. West Point’s Modern War
force structures, and procedures, not just within the Army,
Institute suggests that central to competition is the notion of
but as they also relate to the other Services, as well as
the “dilemma.”
Allies and Partner Nations.
Multi-domain operations as a concept proposes that
(For additional information on Project Convergence, see
the joint force can achieve competitive advantage
CRS In Focus IF11654, The Army’s Project Convergence,
over a near-peer adversary by presenting multiple
by Andrew Feickert.)
complementary threats that each require a response,
thereby exposing adversary vulnerabilities to other
AimPoint Force Structure Initiative
threats. It is the artful combination of these multiple
The primary means by which the Army intends to build its
dilemmas, rather than a clear overmatch in terms of
MDO capability is through what it calls the AimPoint Force
any particular capability, that produces the desired
Structure Initiative. According to the Army, the AimPoint
advantage.
Force is to be a flexible force structure. While little change
is expected at brigade level and below, the Army suggests
These dilemmas are described as “a situation in which a
major changes will occur at higher echelons—division,
difficult choice has to be made between two or more
corps, and theater command—that have primarily played a
alternatives, especially equally undesirable ones. To present
supporting role in counterinsurgency operations such as
the enemy with multiple dilemmas across multiple domains
those in Iraq and Afghanistan. Under MDO, higher field
and in multiple locations,” the Army seeks to keep a
headquarters will now be required to take the lead in
situation from escalating to an open conflict.
coordinating large-scale campaigns against well-armed
nation-states such as Russia and China. The Army also
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
notes that the AimPoint Force will be resource-informed,
meaning it will be subject to budget constraints and
IF11409


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Defense Primer: Army Multi-Domain Operations (MDO)


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