Page 224 - MDSL Final

MARITIME DOCTRINE OF SRI LANKA
and confidence and years of experience at sea. This description of
disciplined initiative is also known as mission command in maritime
doctrines. To ensure that planning does not stifle mission command,
the superior Navy commander and staff focus more on the purpose
of operations rather than the details of how subordinates will execute
the tasks and avoid overly restrictive command and control concepts.
The commander’s intent cannot be a staff product; rather it must be a
true embodiment of the commander’s vision and the centrepiece of the
commander’s discussions with subordinate commanders.

Scheme of Manoeuvre

The Scheme of Manoeuvre expands the intent to describe how the
commander sees his operation unfolding. It explains where, when and
how (in relation to the overall plan, but not with individual prescription)
the force is to achieve its purpose, so that subordinates can understand
their roles in the plan and the effects that they and others are to realise.
A clear intent should minimise the length of the scheme of manoeuvre,
where brevity is an important quality.

Main Effort

The Main Effort is what the commander considers to be the activity
which is crucial to the success of the mission. He must give it substance
by allocating sufficient resources to the unit assigned to it. Illuminating,
in the minds of all members of the force, the most important ‘thing to be
done’ ensures that, if the situation becomes more confusing, that task
will be remembered and provide a rallying point for effort.

The Navy Planning Process
The specific process for planning naval operations is referred to as the
Navy Planning Process (NPP). Through the NPP, a commander can plan
for, prepare and execute operations from the operational through the
tactical levels of war. Furthermore, the NPP ensures that the employment
of forces is linked to objectives and integrates naval operations with the
actions of the joint force.

The NPP is the process that assists commanders and their staffs in

204 To Nurture a Stable Environment at Sea