Doctrine/Concept

Definition

“Fundamental principles by which the military forces guide their actions in support of objectives. It is authoritative but requires judgement in application."
(NATO agreed)

 Some nations elaborate further, stating that military doctrine is a formal expression of military knowledge and thought, descriptive rather than prescriptive, aiming to guide military activity and foster initiative and creative thinking. Doctrine provides an authoritative guide on how military forces conduct operations, serving as a reference point for uniting strategic, operational, and tactical levels of warfare. It is distinct from operations and tactics, providing a common conceptual framework for military organisations.

Source

https://www.jwc.nato.int/images/stories/threeswords/NATO_Doctrine_JWC_role.pdf

NATO Term

Key words

Military guidance

Operational framework

Strategic planning