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ANNEX K TO
COPD V3.0
DATED JAN 21

GLOSSARY OF DEFINITIONS
The following table is a glossary of definitions used throughout the Comprehensive
Operations Planning Directive (COPD) v3.0 and relevant associated terminology.

TITLE DEFINITION SOURCE

A
Action The process of doing something to achieve an aim COPD
and in the sense of this paragraph, an action can definition
be considered the process of engaging any
instrument at an appropriate level in the
engagement space in order to create (a) specific
effect (s) in support of an objective.
Actor A person or organisation, including state and non-
state entities, within the international system with
the capability or desire to influence others in pursuit
of its own interest and objectives.
Activity The process of engaging any instrument at each NOAH
level in the in the engagement space in order to
create (a) specific effect(s) in support of an
objective.
Adversary A party acknowledged as potentially hostile and NATO
against which the legal use of force may be Term
envisaged.
Area of An area within a joint operations area defined by NATO
Operations the joint force commanders for conducting tactical Term
level operations.
Assessment The process of estimating the capabilities and NATO
performance of organisations, individuals, materiel Term
or systems.
Note: In the context of military forces, the
hierarchical relationship in logical sequence is:
assessment, analysis, evaluation, validation and
certification.
Assumption In planning, a supposition made about the current AAP 06
situation and / or the future course of events to
complete an estimate of the situation and decide
on the course of action.
B

C
Campaign A set of military operations planned and conducted AAP-06

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to achieve a strategic objective within a given time

and geographical area, which normally involve
maritime, land and air forces.
Centre of The primary source of power that provides an actor AJP 05
Gravity its strength, freedom of action, or will to fight.
Note: At the political strategic level, moral-strength
as well as physical-strength CoGs exist. At lower
levels of command, only physical-strength CoGs
normally exist and the CoG is therefore always a
physical entity.
Civil-Military A group of activities, founded on communication, NATO
Interaction planning and coordination, that NATO military agreed
bodies share and conduct with international and
local non-military actors, both during NATO
operations and in preparation for them, thereby
mutually increasing the effectiveness and efficiency
of their respective actions in response to crises.
The latest date, calculated from G-day, established AAP 06
Required Date by the theatre commander, on which forces are
required to be complete in their final destination

operational requirement.
Concept of A clear and concise statement of the line of action NATO
Operations chosen by the commander in order to accomplish Term
the given mission.
Constraint A requirement placed on a commander that
dictates an action.
Conduct of The art of directing, coordinating, controlling and NATO
Operations adjusting the actions of forces to achieve specific Term
objectives.
Control The authority exercised by a commander over part NATO
of the activities of subordinate organisations, or Term
other organisations not normally under his
command, that encompasses the responsibility for
implementing orders or directives.
Course of Action An option that will accomplish or contribute to the AAP 06
accomplishment of a mission or task, and from
which a detailed plan is developed.
Crisis The coordinated actions taken to defuse crises AAP 06
Management prevent their escalation into armed conflict and
contain hostilities if they should result.
Cyberspace An operating environment consisting of the JDP 0-50
interdependent network of digital technology
infrastructures (including platforms, the Internet,
telecommunication networks, computer systems,
as well as embedded processors and controllers),
and the data therein spanning the physical, virtual

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and cognitive domains.

D
Data Collection A plan which describes the attributes of the data NOAH
Plan to be collected, the data source, how frequently it
is collected, the format the data should recorded
and analyse and assigns responsibilities for data
collection.
Deception Those measures designed to mislead the enemy NATO
by manipulation, distortion, or falsification of Term
evidence to induce him to react in a manner
prejudicial to his interests.
Decision Point A point in space and time, identified during the NATO
planning process, where it is anticipated that the Term
commander must make a decision concerning a
specific course of action.

Decisive A combination of circumstances, effects, or a NATO

Condition specific key event, critical factor, or function that Term
when achieved allows commanders to gain a
marked advantage over an opponent or contribute
materially to achieving an operational objective.
Doctrine Fundamental principles by which the military forces NATO
guide their actions in support of objectives. It is agreed
authoritative but requires judgement in application.
Domain A specified sphere of activity or knowledge. NATO
Term
E
Effect A change in the state of a system (or system COPD
element), that results from one or more actions, or definition
other causes.
Enabling Force A force tailored to the requirements sent in NATO
advance to prepare for the full deployment of a Term
main force in theatre.
End State The political and / or military situation to be attained NATO
at the end of an operation, which indicates that the Term
objective has been achieved.
Engagement That part of the strategic environment relevant to a
Space particular crisis in which the Alliance may decide,
or has decided, to engage.
Note: the engagement space can be initially viewed
through several conceptual models. The most
common in NATO recognises the six PMESII
domains (political, military, economic, social,
infrastructure, information).
Exit Criteria Those conditions that must be established prior to
the conclusion of the NATO military activity called
for in the operation described by the strategic plan,

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and the transition of residual authorities to a proper

authority.
F
Force Protection Measures and means to minimise the vulnerability AAP 06
of personnel, facilities, equipment and operations
to any threat and in all situations, to preserve
freedom of action and the operational effectiveness
of the force.
G
G-Day The day on which an order is or is due to be given NATO
to deploy a unit. Note: Such an order is normally a Term
national one.
H
High Payoff A target of significance and value to an adversary, AAP 06
Target the destruction, damage or neutralisation of which
may lead to disproportionate advantage to friendly
forces.
High Value A target the adversary commander requires for the AD 80-70
Target successful completion of the mission.
Host Nation A nation which, by agreement: a. receives forces NATO
and materiel of NATO or other nations operating on Term
/ from or transiting through its territory; b. allows
materiel and/or NATO organisations to be located
Host Nation Civil and military assistance rendered in peace, NATO
Support crisis or war by a host nation to NATO and / or Term
other forces and NATO organizations that are
located on, operating on/from, or in transit through
the host nation's territory.
I
Initial System A functionally, physically, and / or behaviourally
related group of regularly interacting or
interdependent elements forming a unified whole.
Intelligence The product resulting from the directed collection NATO
and processing of information regarding the Term
environment and the capabilities and intentions of
actors, in order to identify threats and offer
opportunities for exploitation by decision makers.
International An intergovernmental, regional or global NATO
Organisation organisation governed by international law and agreed
established by a group of states, with international
juridical personality given by international
agreement, however characterised, creating
enforceable rights and obligations for the purpose
of fulfilling a given function and pursuing common
aims.
Note: Exceptionally, the International Committee of
the Red

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Interoperability The ability to act together coherently, effectively NATO

and efficiently to achieve Allied tactical, operational Term
and strategic objectives.
J
Joint Adjective used to describe activities, operations NATO
and organisations in which elements of at least two Term
services participate.
Joint An order that provides further amplification to the
Coordination
Order OPLAN in order to keep the operation on track.
Joint Intelligence
The intelligence process and analytical
Preparation of methodology used to produce intelligence
the Operating assessments, estimates and other intelligence
Environment products in support of the commanders decision
making and operations planning process.
Joint Operations A temporary area defined by SACEUR, in which a AAP 06
Area designated joint commander plans and executes a
specific mission at the operational level of war. A
JOA and its defining parameters, such as time,
scope of the mission and geographical area, are
contingency or mission-specific, and are normally
associated with combined joint task force
operations.
K
Key Terrain Any locality, or area, the seizure or retention of NATO
which affords a marked advantage to either Term
combatant.
Knowledge A collection of data, information, knowledge,
Base expertise and established contacts that is
distributed, inter-linked and standardised.
Knowledge A proactive, collaborative and iterative process
Development carried out at all levels of NATO, drawing on
NATO and non NATO entities, to develop and
then maintain a holistic understanding of complex
environments in support of NATO political and
decision making.
Knowledge A specific need for understanding about a situation,
Requirement a system, or an element of a system in order to
make a decision.
L
Liaison The contact, intercommunication and coordination NATO
maintained between elements of the military and / Term
or other non-military actors to ensure mutual
understanding and unity of purpose and action.
Line of All the land, water and air routes that connect an NATO
Communication operating military force with one or more bases of Term
operations and along which supplies and

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reinforcements move.
Line of Effort A line that links multiple tasks and mission using
the logic of purpose - cause and effect to focus
efforts toward establishing operational and
strategic conditions.
Line of A path linking decisive conditions to achieve an NATO
Operation objective. Term
M
Main Effort concentration of forces or AAP-06
means in a particular area and at a particular time
to enable a commander to bring about a decision.
Measure of A metric used to measure a current system state. NOAH
Effectiveness
Measure of A metric used to determine the accomplishment of NOAH
Performance actions.
Military Strategy That component of national or multinational NATO
strategy, presenting the manner in which military Term
power should be developed and applied to achieve
national objectives or those of a group of nations.
Mission A mission is a clear, concise statement detailing
who will conduct the operation, what is to be
achieved, when it will take place, where it will
occur, and why it is being conducted.
Multinational Adjective used to describe activities, operations NATO
and organisations, in which elements of more than agreed
one nation participate.
N
Network An arrangement of nodes and interconnecting NATO
branches. Term
Non- A private, not for profit, voluntary organisation with NATO
Governmental no governmental or intergovernmental affiliation, agreed
Organisation established for the purpose of fulfilling a range of
activities, in particular development-related projects
or the promotion of a specific cause, and organised
at local, national, regional or international level.
O
Objective A clearly defined and attainable goal for a military NATO
operation, for example seizing a terrain feature, Term
neutralising an adversary's force or capability or
achieving some other desired outcome that is
essential to a commander's plan and towards
which the operation is directed.
Operation A sequence of coordinated actions with a defined NATO
purpose. Term
Notes: NATO operations are military. NATO
operations contribute to a wider approach including
non-military actions.

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Operational Art The employment of forces to attain strategic and / NATO

or operational objectives through the design, agreed
organisation, integration and conduct of strategies,
campaigns, major operations and battles.
Operating A composite of the conditions, circumstances and NATO
Environment influences that affect the employment of Term
capabilities and bear on the decisions of the
commander.
Operational The level at which campaigns and major operations AAP 06
Level are planned, conducted and sustained to
accomplish strategic objectives within theatres or
areas of operations. Within NATO, the operational

Order of Battle The identification, strength, command structure and NATO

disposition of units, personnel and equipment of Term
any military force.
P
Periodic Mission A NAC directed task to SACEUR to provide the
Review strategic operations assessment of progress
towards achieving strategic objectives and their
contribution to achievement of the desired end
state.
Phase A clearly defined stage of an operation or COPD
campaign during which the main forces and definition
capabilities employed set conditions required to
achieve a common purpose.
Preconditions Those prerequisites or requirements that must be COPD
for Success in place or achieved before something else may definition
happen or be completed
Q
Qualitative An observation that is a word, or a sentence, or a NOAH
description, or a code that represents a category
(attempting to understand rather than prove).
Quantitative A number that represents an amount or a count. NOAH
R
Restraint A requirement placed on a commander that
prohibits an action.
Risk The process of identifying, assessing and NATO
Management controlling risk arising from operational factors, and Term
making informed decisions that balance risk cost
with mission benefits.
Rules Of Directives issued by competent military authority NATO
Engagement which specify the circumstances and limitations Term
under which forces will initiate and / or continue
combat engagement with other forces
encountered.

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S
Special Military activities conducted by specially NATO
Operations designated, organised, selected, trained and Term
equipped forces using unconventional techniques
and modes of employment.
Strategic In the NATO military context, the integration of NATO
Communications communication capabilities and information staff Term
function with other military activities, in order to
understand and shape the information
environment, in support of NATO strategic aims
and objectives.
Strategic Line of A logical line that connects military, political, COPD
Engagement economic and / or civil actions in time and purpose definition
through strategic effects to strategic objective(s)
and the end state.
Supported A commander having primary responsibility for all NATO
Commander aspects of a task assigned by a higher NATO Term
military authority and who receives forces or other
support from one or more supporting commanders.
System A functionally, physically, and / or behaviourally COPD
related group of regularly interacting or definition
interdependent elements forming a unified whole.
System Analysis Identification of networks of systems and system
elements, their relations and interactions, and
their evolution in space and time.
T
Targeting The process of selecting and prioritizing targets NATO
and matching the appropriate response to them, agreed
taking into account operational requirements and
capabilities.
Terrorism The unlawful use or threatened use of force or NATO
violence against individuals or property in an Term
attempt to coerce or intimidate governments or
societies to achieve political, religious or ideological
objectives.
Theatre of A designated area, which may include one or more AAP 06
Operations joint operations areas.
Transfer of Within NATO, an action by which operational AAP 06
Authority command or operational control of designated
forces and / or resources, if applicable, is passed
between National and NATO commands or
between commanders in the NATO chain of
command.
U
Undesired Effect Effects that disrupt or jeopardise the achievement
of objectives.
Unity of Effort In military operations, coordination and cooperation NATO

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among all actors in order to achieve a common Term

objective.
V

W
Wargame NATO defines a war game as: a simulation of a NATO
military operation, by whatever means, using Term
specific rules, data, methods and procedures.
Weapon of A weapon that is liable to cause widespread NATO
Mass devastation and loss of life. Term
Destruction
X

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