Updated April 22, 2021
Defense Primer: Army Multi-Domain Operations (MDO)
As an operational concept, Multi-Domain Operations
forces. By creating instability within countries and
(MDO) influence what types of weapon systems and
alliances, China and Russia create political
equipment the Army procures, what types and numbers of
separation that results in strategic ambiguity
soldiers are needed, and what type of training is required—
reducing the speed of friendly recognition, decision,
significant legislative concerns for Congress. In this regard,
and reaction. Through these competitive actions,
an understanding of MDO could prove beneficial for
China and Russia believe they can achieve
congressional oversight activities.
objectives below the threshold of armed conflict.
What Are Multi-Domain Operations
Army leadership believes that if the Army—in conjunction
(MDO)?
with the other Services—prevails in these “competitions” in
According to the U.S. Army’s Training and Doctrine
all “domains,” that U.S. national security objectives should
Command (TRADOC):
be achieved.
Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) describes how
How MDO Is Intended to Work
the U.S. Army, as part of the joint force [Army,
The Army’s central idea is to prevail by competing
Navy, Air Force, and Marines] can counter and
successfully in all domains short of conflict, deterring a
defeat a near-peer adversary capable of contesting
potential enemy. If deterrence fails, Army forces—along
the U.S. in all domains [air, land, maritime, space,
with the Joint Force—are to do the following:
and cyberspace] in both competition and armed
Penetrate enemy anti-access and area denial (A2/AD)
conflict. The concept describes how U.S. ground
systems (layered and integrated long-range precision-strike
forces, as part of the joint and multinational team,
systems, littoral anti-ship capabilities, air defenses, and
deter adversaries and defeat highly capable near-
long-range artillery and rocket systems) to enable strategic
peer enemies in the 2025-2050 timeframe.
and operational maneuver of U.S. forces.
MDO provides commanders numerous options for
Dis-integrate—disrupt, degrade, or destroy enemy anti-
executing simultaneous and sequential operations
access and area denial systems to enable operational and
using surprise and the rapid and continuous
tactical maneuver of U.S. forces.
integration of capabilities across all domains to
present multiple dilemmas to an adversary in order
Exploit the resulting freedom of maneuver to achieve
to gain physical and psychological advantages and
operational and strategic objectives by defeating enemy
influence and control over the operational
forces in all domains.
environment.
Re-compete—consolidate gains across domains and force a
return to competition on favorable terms to the United
Why Did the Army Adopt MDO?
States and allies.
MDO is described in detail in a December 2018 Army
publication titled The U.S. Army in Multi-Domain
How Will MDO Change the
Operations 2028. MDO was developed in response to the
Organization of the Army?
2018 National Defense Strategy, which shifted the previous
As part of the release of The U.S. Army in Multi-Domain
focus of U.S. national security from countering violent
Operations 2028, an Army official described to the media
extremists worldwide to confronting revisionist powers—
that specific Army echelons will be given different
primarily Russia and China—that are said to “want to shape
“problems” to address under MDO. Existing Divisions and
a world consistent with their authoritarian model—gaining
Corps will be tasked with fighting and defeating specific
veto authority over other nations’ economic, diplomatic,
components of the enemy’s system. As such, the Army will
and security decisions.” According to The U.S. Army in
no longer organize or center itself on Brigade Combat
Multi-Domain Operations 2028:
Teams (BCTs) as it did under previous National Defense
Strategies. Under the previous BCT-centered organizational
China and Russia exploit the conditions of the
construct, Divisions and Corps had a limited warfighting
operational environment to achieve their objectives
role, but under MDO, Divisions and Corps headquarters are
without resorting to armed conflict by fracturing the
U.S.’s alliances, partnerships, and resolve. They
to return to their historic warfighting roles, in which they
employed subordinate units and allocated Corps- and
attempt to create stand-off through the integration
Division-level assets to support subordinate units.
of
diplomatic
and
economic
actions,
unconventional and information warfare (social
According to the online magazine Breaking Defense, MDO
media, false narratives, cyber-attacks), and the
calls for the creation of Field Armies, an intermediate
actual or threatened employment of conventional
command level between already established Theater
https://crsreports.congress.gov

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Defense Primer: Army Multi-Domain Operations (MDO)
Armies—such as U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) or U.S.
(For additional information on the Army’s AimPoint Force
Army Europe (USAREUR)—and Corps. While one Field
Structure Initiative, see CRS In Focus IF11542, The Army’s
Army currently exists—the U.S. 8th Army in Korea—it is
AimPoint Force Structure Initiative, by Andrew Feickert.)
not known how many more Field Armies are envisioned
(For additional information on MDTFs, see CRS In Focus
under MDO, where they would come from within Army
IF11409, Defense Primer: Army Multi-Domain Operations
force structure, and where they might be stationed. These
(MDO), by Andrew Feickert.)
Field Armies would supposedly be capable of commanding
multiple Corps against near-peer threats.
The Need for a Joint MDO Doctrine?
The Army’s Way Ahead
Some suggest a shared vision among the Services on multi-
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
Project Convergence
National Security or National Defense Strategies’ emphasis
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 this year.
Service’s capabilities with Joint Force assets in the air,
land, sea, space, and cyber domains. The Army currently
How the Army Intends to Compete
plans to conduct Project Convergence in 2021 and 2022 and
Arguably, competition is a critical aspect of MDO because,
potentially beyond 2022 as well. Project Convergence is
if it is conducted successfully, conflict might be avoided.
intended to inform and test MDO concepts, technologies,
According to U.S. Army Chief of Staff Paper #2, The Army
force structures, and procedures, not just within the Army,
in Military Competition, dated March 1, 2021, the Army
but as they also relate to the other Services, as well as
competes in three ways:
Allies and Partner Nations.
Narrative Competition, which is reflected in the rise and
(For additional information on Project Convergence, see
fall of a country’s reputation based on general perceptions
CRS In Focus IF11654, The Army’s Project Convergence,
of its strength, reliability, and resolve. The Army
by Andrew Feickert.)
contributes by being a lethal, competent, credible force and
AimPoint Force Structure Initiative
being recognized as such by allies and partners, as well as
by adversaries.
The primary means by which the Army intends to build its
MDO capability is through what it calls the AimPoint Force
Direct Competition, which encompasses the full range of
Structure Initiative. According to the Army, the AimPoint
competitive activities, from the lowest intensity competition
Force is to be a flexible force structure. While little change
below armed conflict through general state conflict. In
is expected at brigade level and below, the Army suggests
direct competition, the objective is to create leverage for the
major changes will occur at higher echelons—division,
United States and to deny it to the adversary.
corps, and theater command—that have primarily played a
supporting role in counterinsurgency operations such as
Indirect Competition, in which the objective is to gain
those in Iraq and Afghanistan. Under MDO, higher field
advantage (or deny it to the adversary). This objective is in
headquarters will now be required to take the lead in
contrast to the more forceful concept of leverage in direct
coordinating large-scale campaigns against well-armed
competition. The Army contributes by offering a range of
nation-states such as Russia and China. The Army also
credible (low- and moderate-intensity and risk) options for
notes that the AimPoint Force will be resource-informed,
policymakers.
meaning it will be subject to budget constraints and
Some of these options include activities such as overseas
political considerations. Because of the geographic
exercises, security cooperation, security force assistance,
distinctions between the European and Indo-Pacific
military-to-military exchanges, overseas basing,
theaters, individual higher-echelon AimPoint formation
intelligence sharing, and disaster relief. In this regard,
force structure will likely differ by theater as opposed to
indirect competition is not a “new” operational concept but
current one-size-fits-all units.
instead more along the lines of a redesignation of traditional
As an example, the Army plans to create five Multi-Domain
activities short of armed conflict.
Task Forces (MDTFs): two aligned to the Indo-Pacific
Andrew Feickert, Specialist in Military Ground Forces
region; one aligned to Europe; one stationed in the Arctic
region and oriented on multiple threats; and a fifth aligned
IF11409
for global response. MDTFs are to be theater-level units
intended to coordinate effects and fires in all domains
against A2/AD networks so U.S. Joint Forces can conduct
their operational plan (OPLAN)-directed roles.
https://crsreports.congress.gov

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Defense Primer: Army Multi-Domain Operations (MDO)


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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF11409 · VERSION 4 · UPDATED

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