National Military Strategy to

Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction

13 February 2006

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Washington, DC 20318 
TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECRETARY’S FOREWORD............................................................ 2 

CHAIRMAN’S MEMORANDUM........................................................ 3 

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.................................................................. 4 

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION......................................................... 9 

CHAPTER 2: GUIDING PRINCIPLES ............................................... 13 

CHAPTER 3: STRATEGIC MILITARY FRAMEWORK......................... 16 

CHAPTER 4: OPERATIONAL GUIDANCE ........................................ 20 

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION ............................................................ 28 

ANNEX A: TERMS & DEFINITIONS................................................. 29 


EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 

The National Military Strategy (NMS) to Combat Weapons of Mass Destruction 

(WMD) is derived from the Department of Defense’s (DOD) mission to dissuade,

deter and defeat those who seek to harm the United States, its allies, and 

partners through WMD use or threat of use and, if attacked, to mitigate the 

effects and restore deterrence. Its purpose is to provide DOD Components

guidance and a strategic framework for combating WMD. The strategy uses an 

“ends, ways, means” approach to planning, executing and resourcing, and 

emphasizes those combating WMD missions in which the military plays a

prominent role. 

Guiding Principles Six guiding principles underpin the National Military 

Strategy to Combat WMD. These principles should be used as a foundation for 

the development of all combating WMD concepts of operations and plans.

Active, Layered, Defense-in-Depth. In order to protect the United States and

defeat aggressors, the U.S. Armed Forces must establish an active defense. 

The U.S. Armed Forces will focus military planning, posture, operations, and

capabilities, in accordance with mission essential tasks, on the active, forward

and layered defense of our nation, 

our allies, partners, and interests. 

Situational Awareness and Integrated 

Command and Control. The decision

to employ specialized combating 

WMD capabilities for simultaneous

operations demands a highly flexible 

and adaptive command and control 

process informed by timely, credible, 

and actionable intelligence. Global 

Force Management. Any combating WMD capabilities we develop in the future 

must be visible to combatant command planners and include responsive and 

agile forces that can be rapidly task organized and equipped to accomplish 

assigned missions. Capabilities-Based Planning. We must plan for and develop 

capabilities that could be employed against a range of threats and associated 

capabilities while balancing the requirements for targeted strategies against 

known proliferators. Effects-Based Approach. We will use an effects-based 

approach in planning, execution, and assessments to achieve efficient results 

and reduce risk to mission and campaign objectives, as well as to our 

combating WMD-related resources. Assurance. Where possible, we will

encourage action by like-minded States, work with our international allies,

partners, and operate through regional States to combat WMD actively. 

Six Guiding Principles 

Active, Layered, Defense-in-Depth 

Situational Awareness and Integrated 

Command and Control

Global Force Management 

Capabilities-Based Planning

Effects-Based Approach 

Assurance

Strategic Military Framework The strategic military framework to combat 

WMD consists of ends (the military strategic goal and associated end state), 

4
ways (military strategic objectives), and means (combatant commands, Military 

Departments, and combat support agencies) applied across the three pillars of

the National Strategy to Combat WMD (nonproliferation, counterproliferation, 

and consequence management). 

Ends (Military Strategic Goal and Associated End state) Our military

strategic goal is to ensure that the United States, its Armed Forces, allies, 

partners, and interests are neither coerced nor attacked by enemies using 

WMD. Specific end states delineate standards by which we can measure our 

effectiveness: 

1. U.S. Armed Forces, in concert with other elements of U.S. national

power, deter WMD use. 

2. U. S. Armed Forces are prepared to defeat an adversary threatening

to use WMD and prepare to deter follow-on use. 

3. Existing worldwide WMD is secure and the U.S. Armed Forces

contribute as appropriate to secure, reduce, reverse or eliminate it. 

4. Current or potential adversaries are dissuaded from producing WMD. 

5. Current or potential adversaries’ WMD is detected and characterized

and elimination sought. 

6. Proliferation of WMD and related materials to current and/or potential

adversaries is dissuaded, prevented, defeated or reversed. 

7. If WMD is used against the United States or its interests, U.S. Armed

Forces are capable of minimizing the effects in order to continue

operations in a WMD environment and assist United States civil

authorities, allies and partners. 

8. U.S Armed Forces assist in attributing the source of attack, respond

decisively, and/or deter future attacks. 

9. Allies and U.S. civilian agencies are capable partners in combating

WMD. 

 

Ways (Military Strategic Objectives) The military strategic objectives (MSOs)

are achieved through eight missions conducted across the combating WMD 

continuum. Defeat and Deter WMD use and subsequent use. Adversaries 

must believe they will suffer severe consequences and that their objectives will 

be denied if they threaten or resort to the use of WMD. Protect, Respond and 

Recover from WMD use. The purpose of this objective is to respond to an 

adversary who has used WMD on the battlefield or against strategic U.S.

5
interests. To protect and recover from WMD use, U.S. Armed Forces will 

execute passive defense measures and be prepared to conduct WMD 

consequence management activities. Defend, Dissuade or Deny WMD 

proliferation or possession. To prevent, 

dissuade or deny adversaries or potential

adversaries from possessing or

proliferating WMD, U.S. Armed Forces 

will be prepared to conduct offensive 

operations. The military must also 

support interdiction efforts, security 

cooperation, and nonproliferation efforts. Reduce, Destroy or Reverse WMD

possession. To reverse WMD programs and reduce WMD and related material 

stockpiles, the U.S. Armed Forces will support threat reduction cooperation as 

well as be prepared to assist in cooperative stockpile destruction activities. 

Military Strategic Objectives 

Defeat, Deter 

Protect, Respond, Recover 

Defend, Dissuade, Deny

Reduce, Destroy, Reverse

Means (Combatant Commands, Military Departments, and Combat

Support Agencies). The combatant commands, military departments, and 

combat support agencies are the means to accomplish MSOs. Commander, 

U.S. Strategic Command (CDRUSSTRATCOM) is the lead combatant 

commander for integrating and synchronizing DOD in combating WMD. 

Consistent with this assignment, USSTRATCOM will integrate and synchronize 

applicable Department of Defense-wide efforts across the doctrine,

organization, training, material, leadership, personnel, and facilities spectrum. 

Combatant Commanders will continue to execute combating WMD missions 

within their AORs. Military efforts will need to be integrated with other 

organizations and nations that possess capabilities, resources, or information 

that can contribute to the mission. 

Strategic Enablers Strategic enablers are crosscutting capabilities that 

facilitate execution of the military strategy. They enhance the effectiveness and 

integration of military combating WMD mission capabilities. Commanders 

must continually assess enabling capabilities and identify required

improvements. Three strategic enablers facilitate DoD’s efforts to combat

WMD: intelligence, partnership capacity, 

and strategic communication support. 

Intelligence. Intelligence directly supports 

strategy, planning, and decision-making; 

facilitates improvements in operational 

capabilities; and informs programming and 

risk management. To reduce uncertainty, 

our intelligence capability must exploit a 

variety of sources, facilitate information sharing, and improve situational

awareness. Partnership Capacity. Building partnership capacity, bilaterally 

and multilaterally, enhances our capability to combat WMD. We should build

on and leverage U.S. Government, Non-Government Organizations, corporate 

6
and international partner capability. 

Security cooperation efforts should not 

only focus on missile defense cooperation 

or the Proliferation Security Initiative 

(PSI), but equally stress passive defense, elimination, and WMD consequence

management cooperation. Strategic Communication Support. The military

plays a significant supporting role in the larger U.S. Government effort to 

communicate and demonstrate our resolve. Strategic communications shape 

perceptions at the global, regional, and national levels. U.S. words and actions 

reassure allies and partners and underscore, to potential adversaries, the costs 

and risks associated with WMD acquisition and use. 

Strategic Enablers 

Intelligence 

Partnership Capacity 

Strategic Communication Support 

Military Mission Areas The military mission is to dissuade, deter, and defeat 

those who seek to harm the United States, its allies, and partners through 

WMD use or threat of use. This mission is in direct support of the three pillars 

(nonproliferation, counterproliferation, and consequence management) of the 

national strategy for combating WMD. 

Across the four military strategic 

objectives, U.S. Armed Forces may be called 

upon to carry out eight missions: offensive 

operations, elimination, interdiction, active 

defense, passive defense, WMD consequence 

management, security cooperation and 

partner activities, and threat reduction 

cooperation. Capabilities development 

should address and prioritize the critical

capability needs of these eight mission 

areas. Offensive Operations may include 

kinetic and/or non-kinetic options (e.g., elements of space and information 

operations) to deter or defeat a WMD threat or subsequent use of WMD.

Elimination Operations are operations systematically to locate, characterize, 

secure, disable, and/or destroy a State or 

non-State actor’s WMD programs and related 

capabilities. Interdiction Operations are 

designed to stop the proliferation of WMD, 

delivery systems, associated and dual-use 

technologies, materials, and expertise from

transiting between States of concern and

between State and non-State actors, whether 

undertaken by the military or by other 

agencies of government (e.g., law 

enforcement). Active Defense measures include, but are not limited to, missile 

defense (ballistic and cruise), air defense, special operations, and security

operations to defend against conventionally and unconventionally delivered

EIGHT MISSION AREAS 

Offensive Operations 

Elimination Operations

Interdiction Operations 

Active Defense 

Passive Defense 

WMD Consequence Management 

Security Cooperation & 

Partnership Activities 

Threat Reduction Cooperation

7
WMD. Passive Defense includes measures to minimize or negate the 

vulnerability to and minimize effects of WMD use against U.S., partner, and 

allied Armed Forces as well as U.S. military interests, installations, and critical 

infrastructure. Consequence Management includes those actions taken to 

reduce the effects of a WMD attack or event, including Toxic Industrial

Chemicals and Toxic Industrial Materials, and assist in the restoration of 

essential operations and services at home and abroad. U.S. Armed Forces 

must be prepared to support the response to a WMD event in the homeland 

and, when directed, support allies and partners. Security Cooperation and 

Partner Activities are those military activities that support international efforts

to combat WMD. The military must strive to expand and exercise combating 

WMD partnerships with a goal of creating partners that can provide for 

themselves and assist during coalition operations. Threat Reduction 

Cooperation activities are those activities undertaken with the consent and 

cooperation of host nation authorities to enhance physical security; and 

emplace detection equipment; reduce, dismantle, redirect, and/or improve

protection of a State’s existing WMD programs, stockpiles, and capabilities. 

Conclusion To ensure that the United States, its Armed Forces, allies,

partners, and interests are neither threatened nor attacked by WMD, U.S.

Armed Forces must be prepared to: defeat and deter WMD use and deter next 

use; protect from, respond to, and recover from WMD use; prevent, dissuade,

or deny WMD proliferation or possession; and reduce, eliminate, or reverse 

WMD possession. We will accomplish these MSOs through eight combating 

WMD missions, all of which are supported by the strategic enablers. 

Eight Mission Areas 

Offensive operations, Elimination, Interdiction, Active Defense, Passive Defense,

WMD Consequence Management, Security Cooperation and Partner Activities, 

Threat Reduction Cooperation 

Strategic Enablers

Intelligence – Partnership Capacity – Strategic Communication Support 

Military Strategic Objectives 

Defeat, Deter – Protect, Respond, Recover – Defend, Dissuade, 

Deny – Reduce, Destroy, Reverse 

End States

Standards by which we can measure effectiveness 

towards the Strategic Goal

Strategic Goal 

Ensure that the United States, its Armed Forces,

allies, partners, and interests are neither 

coerced nor attacked by enemies using WMD 

8
CHAPTER 1 

Introduction 

“Weapons of mass destruction (WMD) — nuclear, biological and 

chemical — in the hands of hostile States and terrorists represent one 

of the greatest security challenges facing the United States...we cannot 

always be successful in preventing and containing the proliferation of

WMD to hostile States and terrorists. Therefore, U.S. military and 

appropriate civilian agencies must possess the full range of operational

capabilities to counter the threat and use of WMD by States and 

terrorists against the United States, U.S. military forces, and friends 

and allies.” 

 The National Strategy to Combat WMD, December 2002

 

Purpose

The National Military Strategy (NMS) 

to Combat Weapons of Mass

Destruction (WMD) is derived from 

the Department of Defense’s (DOD) 

mission to dissuade, deter, and 

defeat those who seek to harm the 

United States, its allies, and 

partners through WMD use or 

threat of use and, if attacked, to 

mitigate the effects and restore 

deterrence. Its purpose is to provide 

DOD Components guidance and a 

strategic framework for combating 

WMD. The strategy uses an “ends, 

ways, means” approach to planning, 

executing and resourcing that 

emphasizes those combating WMD 

missions in which the military plays 

a prominent role. 

21st Century WMD Security 

Environment 

 

Over the past two decades, 

the global WMD threat has grown 

more complex and diverse, and it

has broadened from a focus on State 

threats to one that includes both 

State and non-State actors. The

WMD threat is not limited to a

specific region or type of conflict. 

Our enemies are evolving and our 

strategy must be flexible and enable 

proactive measures. These actors 

will threaten the United States, its 

allies, and partners with the use of

WMD. Non-State actors include 

terrorists, extremists, terrorist 

networks, transnational threats, 

non-governmental organizations, 

businesses, rogue scientist/ 

technicians, as well as individuals 

acting independently of any 

organization. Failed States or States 

in transition that cannot guarantee 

the security of their WMD pose 

additional challenges. 

We will give top priority to 

dissuading, deterring, and defeating 

those who seek to harm the United 

States directly, especially extremist 

enemies with weapons of mass 

destruction. Non-State actors may 

be highly organized, networked, and 

9
aided by State sponsors of 

terrorism. Their efforts to develop or 

acquire WMD may be facilitated by 

criminal organizations, business 

enterprises, or international 

proliferation networks. The growing 

spread of technical expertise, 

materials, and sophisticated dualuse technology contributes to this 

challenge. These global proliferation 

activities employ a combination of 

secrecy, dispersion, and fiscal 

resources that must be located, 

monitored, and ultimately targeted. 

Other challenges include: 

acquisition and/or use of WMD by 

terrorist organizations against the 

United States; the deployment of 

medium- and longer-range ballistic 

missiles; cruise missiles and 

unmanned aerial vehicles; 

underground Chemical, Biological, 

Radiological, and Nuclear (CBRN), 

and missile-related facilities; the 

proliferation of WMD and related 

equipment and technologies from 

current and/or suspected nuclear

weapons States to other nationStates of concern; and the poor

security of existing CBRN

materials.1

 1 DI-1569-43q-04, World Wide NBC and 

Proliferation Threat (Feb 04). 

This security environment is 

complicated by the fact that our 

ability to detect, identify, and 

characterize WMD threats depends 

on effective intelligence collection, 

analysis and dissemination. States 

maintaining or seeking WMD may 

use creative means to conceal the 

status of their programs, and 

intelligence on non-State actors may 

be difficult to acquire. In addition, 

dual-use materials and technologies 

require novel approaches to 

intelligence activities. Although we 

will continue to improve our 

intelligence collection and analysis 

techniques, we must recognize that 

plans and decisions will need to be 

made with limited or incomplete 

WMD-related intelligence. 

National Guidance 

The National Security Strategy

of the United 

States (NSS) sets 

forth an active 

strategy to 

counter 

transnational 

terror networks, 

rogue nations,

and aggressive 

States that

possess or are 

working to acquire WMD. It notes 

that the United States must advance 

this strategy through strengthened

alliances, the establishment of new 

partnerships with former 

adversaries, innovative use of

military forces, modern 

technologies, and increased 

emphasis on intelligence collection 

and analysis.

10
The National Strategy to Combat

Weapons of Mass Destruction builds 

on the National 

Security Strategy 

(NSS) and 

articulates a 

proactive and 

comprehensive 

strategy built 

upon the three 

pillars of

nonproliferation, 

counterproliferati

on, and consequence management 

to counter the WMD threat in all of 

its dimensions. The National

Military Strategy to Combat WMD

supports this national framework by 

applying the three pillars across the 

spectrum of military operations. 

Recognizing that WMD in the hands 

of terrorists is one of the gravest 

threats facing the United States, a

Strategy for Combating WMD 

Terrorism has also been developed 

among various Departments and 

Agencies in order to more fully 

coordinate activities across the 

government. 

 

The National Defense Strategy

of the United States of America (NDS)

also builds on the 

foregoing and 

outlines an active, 

layered approach 

to the defense of 

the nation and its

interests. It 

highlights the 

nexus among 

terrorism, WMD 

proliferation, and problem States

that possess or seek WMD. The 

National Military Strategy to Combat

WMD supports accomplishing the 

NDS objectives by applying its 

implementation guidelines to the 

challenges posed by WMD. 

The National Military Strategy

of the United States of America

describes military objectives and 

joint operating concepts from which 

the Secretaries of the Military 

Departments and combatant 

commanders identify desired 

capabilities and against which the 

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff 

assesses risk. It calls for a 

responsive, joint 

force capable of 

protecting against

WMD and 

defeating WMDarmed adversaries. 

The National

Military Strategy to

Combat WMD

builds on the 

combating WMD guidance in the 

Chairman’s National Military 

Strategy by establishing strategic 

objectives and mission areas, and 

defining the guiding principles and 

strategic enablers for the military’s 

role in combating WMD. 

The National Military Strategic Plan

for the War on Terrorism (NMSPWOT) constitutes the comprehensive 

military plan to prosecute the Global

War on Terrorism (GWOT) for the 

Armed Forces of the United States. 

This plan guides the contributions 

of the Combatant Commands, the 

Military Departments, Combat 

Support Agencies and Field Support 

Activities of the United States in 

protecting the United States and its 

interests abroad, defeating the

11
terrorist extremist threat, and 

ultimately, establishing and 

maintaining a global environment 

inhospitable to terrorism. It 

identifies capabilities the Military 

Departments 

should provide, 

guides ongoing 

activities, 

identifies 

priorities, 

establishes a 

mechanism to 

measure 

progress, and 

informs planning 

for future DoD actions in the GWOT. 

One of the critical enablers of our 

national strategy for the war on 

terror is the prevention of terrorist 

possession or use of WMD against 

the United States, its allies, 

partners, and interests. One of the 

six military strategic objectives 

listed in the NMSP-WOT deals 

specifically with Weapons of Mass 

Destruction. Denying WMD 

proliferation, recovering and 

eliminating uncontrolled materials,

and maintaining capacity for 

consequence management are 

essential to ensuring our national 

security. Military activities include 

efforts to: detect and monitor 

acquisition and development; and 

conduct counterproliferation 

operations, security cooperation 

activities, WMD active and passive 

defense, and coordination of

consequence management 

operations. These activities are fully 

compatible with the National Military

Strategy for Combating WMD. 

President

SecDef/CJCS

Combatant

Commands

National Strategy for Combating WMD

Unified

Command Plan

GCCs

Joint Strategic 

Capability Plan

Security Cooperation

Guidance

National Military Strategy for

Combating WMD

National Military

Strategy

Homeland Defense

and Civil Support

Strategy

National Defense Strategy

National Security Strategy

CJCS documents =

Published

documents =

CWMD Strategic

Guidance 

Statement 

Contingency Planning

Guidance

Concept Plan 8099 Cbt WMD (STRATCOM)

Amendments/updates to WMD 

annexes of existing plans

COCOM 

CWMD Deliberate Plans

Strategic Guidance for Combating WMD Terrorism

Strategic Guidance

12
CHAPTER 2 

Guiding Principles 

Six guiding principles underpin 

the National Military Strategy to 

Combat WMD. These include 

developing an active and layered 

defense-in-depth, establishing

integrated command and control, 

implementing global force 

management, utilizing capabilitiesbased planning, utilizing an effectsbased approach, and assuring allies 

and partners. These principles 

should be used as a foundation for

the development of all combating 

WMD concepts of operations and 

plans. 

Active, Layered, Defense-inDepth. In order to protect the 

United States and defeat aggressors, 

the U.S. Armed Forces must 

establish an active defense. U.S. 

Armed Forces will focus military 

planning, posture, operations, and 

capabilities, in accordance with 

mission essential tasks, on the 

active, forward and layered defense 

of our nation, our allies, partners,

and interests. They will develop 

capabilities that support the

spectrum of combating WMD 

missions with an emphasis on 

defeating threats as far from the 

United States as possible. U.S. 

Armed Forces should balance,

synchronize, and coordinate all 

military combating WMD 

capabilities development and 

operations. Use of this approach 

will ensure a strong and in-depth 

defense against WMD. 

 

Situational Awareness and 

Integrated Command and 

Control. The decision to employ 

specialized combating WMD 

capabilities for simultaneous 

operations demands a highly flexible 

and adaptive command and control 

process informed by timely, credible, 

and actionable intelligence. 

Combating WMD intelligence is 

currently limited and, in the interim, 

planning and execution decisions 

must be made with limited and 

incomplete intelligence. The ability 

to share timely information among 

commanders, other U.S. 

Government agencies, our allies, 

and partners in a multi-layered 

security environment is essential to 

operational success in combating 

WMD. Senior leaders require

common, timely, accurate and

relevant information for decisions 

that affect resources, plans, and the 

employment of capabilities to 

combat WMD, some of which may 

be high-demand, low-density assets.

Additionally, some time-sensitive 

situations, such as prosecution of 

fleeting targets and/or situations 

where speed of decision or action is 

critical to success, will require a 

streamlined planning and 

Six Guiding Principles 

Active, Layered, Defense-in-Depth 

Situational Awareness and Integrated 

Command and Control

Global Force Management 

Capabilities-Based Planning

Effects-Based Approach 

Assurance

13
coordination process to develop 

courses of action rapidly and gain 

the necessary authorities for 

execution. 

Global Force Management. 

An essential part of combating WMD 

is our ability to plan, posture, and 

deploy successfully and in a timely 

manner, and to sustain combating 

WMD forces. WMD specific 

capabilities must be part of our 

global force presence and must be 

fully visible to planners and decision 

makers through the global force 

management process. Forward 

presence, either permanently 

stationed or rotational, has key 

advantages in combating WMD. 

U.S. Armed Forces must be 

prepared to conduct traditional 

passive and active defense, as well 

as offensive operations, concurrently

with the conduct of interdiction and 

elimination missions abroad, 

support of homeland security, and 

conduct of WMD consequence 

management. In some cases, WMD

expertise may be provided via reachback capability. Any combating 

WMD capabilities we develop in the 

future must be visible to combatant

command planner and include 

responsive and agile forces that can 

be rapidly task-organized and 

equipped to accomplish assigned 

missions. 

Capabilities Based Planning. 

Because it is more important to 

possess effective capabilities to

counter how adversaries may 

challenge us, rather than to know 

who those adversaries may be or 

where we might face them, U.S. 

Armed Forces must develop a broad

spectrum of tools to counter these 

means and achieve desired effects. 

Capabilities-based plans for 

resourcing should focus on 

development of tools that have 

broad-spectrum application. For

example, our planning and 

capability development should not 

be focused on one biological warfare 

threat agent, one threat country, or 

one non-State actor. We must plan 

for and develop capabilities that 

could be employed against a range

of threats and associated 

capabilities while balancing the

requirements for targeted strategies 

against known proliferators. 

Capabilities should be developed 

and deployed using an aggressive 

spiral development process 

providing military capabilities early 

and ensuring continuous upgrades 

to fielded capabilities (including 

forces) throughout their lifecycle. 

Effects-Based Approach. We 

will use an effects-based approach 

in planning, execution, and 

assessments to achieve efficient 

results and reduce risk to mission 

and campaign objectives, as well as 

to our combating WMD-related 

resources. An effects-based 

approach to planning links plans 

and action to desired effects. 

14
Combating WMD plans must reflect 

a synergistic and cumulative 

application of the eight mission 

areas (See Figure 2) at the tactical, 

operational, and strategic levels.

Through this process planners 

identify the critical centers of 

gravity, linkages, and courses of 

action tied to probable enemy 

reactions. The effects-based 

approach produces plans and 

operations that allow commanders 

to accomplish assigned missions 

effectively and efficiently. Execution 

actions focus on critical centers of

gravity to achieve the optimal effects 

using the minimal operational effort 

required to meet mission objectives. 

This efficient application of force is 

critical to combating WMD 

operations. The best operational 

outcome is one that achieves desired 

effects on the adversary while 

minimizing the adversaries’ 

effectiveness against us. 

Assurance. We must seek to 

solidify and enable the active 

support of international allies and 

partners to realize the goals of our 

comprehensive combating WMD 

strategy. Using the tools of routine 

dialogue, military-to-military 

contacts, burden-sharing 

arrangements, and combined 

military activities enabled by our 

operations by the regional 

Combatant Commands, we assure 

and build allied and partner will and 

capacity for combined action. Where 

possible, we will encourage action 

by like-minded States, work with 

our international allies and

partners, and operate through 

regional States to combat WMD 

actively. Combating WMD plans and 

activities will incorporate specific 

activities to encourage and enable 

this allied and coalition 

participation. We will fulfill our 

alliance and other defense 

commitments, help protect our 

common interests, and develop 

training and capabilities that 

contribute to combating WMD. 

 

15
CHAPTER 3 

Strategic Military Framework

The strategic military framework to combat WMD (Figure 1) consists of 

ends (the military strategic goal and associated end state), ways (military 

strategic objectives), and means (combatant commands, Military Departments, 

and combat support agencies) applied across the three pillars of the National 

Strategy to Combat WMD (nonproliferation, counterproliferation, and 

consequence management). 

Reduce,

Destroy,

Reverse

Prevent,

Dissuade,

Deny

Defend, 

Respond, 

Recover

Defeat,

Deter

Military Strategic

Obje

ctives

Means Combatant Commands, Military Departments, and Combat Support Agencies

Ways

The United States, its Armed Forces, allies, partners and interests are neither 

coerced nor attacked with WMD Ends

Enemy capable of WMD use,

threat of use or subsequent use

Enemy uses WMD

Current or Potential Adversaries and others 

attempt to possess or proliferate WMD

Others agree to secure or

destroy WMD

Figure 1 – Strategic Military Framework 

Ends (Military Strategic Goal and 

Associated Endstates) 

Our military strategic goal is to 

ensure that the United States, its 

Armed Forces, allies, partners, and 

interests are neither coerced nor 

attacked with WMD. Specific end 

states delineate standards by which 

we can measure our effectiveness: 

1. U.S. Armed Forces, in concert 

with other elements of U.S. 

national power, deter WMD use. 

2. U. S. Armed Forces are prepared 

to defeat an adversary

threatening to use WMD and 

prepared to deter follow-on use. 

3. Existing worldwide WMD are 

secure, and the U.S. Armed 

Forces contribute, as 

16
appropriate, to secure, reduce, 

reverse or eliminate it. 

4. Current or potential adversaries 

are dissuaded from producing

WMD. 

5. Current or potential adversaries’ 

WMD are detected and

characterized and elimination is 

sought. 

6. Proliferation of WMD and related 

materials to current and/or 

potential adversaries is 

dissuaded, prevented, defeated or 

reversed. 

7. If WMD are used against the

United States or its interests, 

U.S. Armed Forces are capable of

minimizing the effects in order to 

continue operations in a WMD 

environment and assist U.S. civil 

authorities, allies and partners. 

8. U.S. Armed Forces assist in 

attributing the source of attack, 

respond decisively, and/or deter

future attacks. 

9. Allies, partners, and U.S. civilian 

agencies are capable partners in 

combating WMD. 

Ways (Military Strategic 

Objectives) 

The military strategic objectives 

(MSOs) outlined below describe how 

the U.S. Armed Forces will 

accomplish its strategic goal. The 

MSOs are achieved through eight 

missions conducted across the 

combating WMD continuum. These

missions are guided in turn by six

principles that underpin the 

National Military Strategy to Combat

WMD. These guiding principles, the 

eight mission areas, and their 

strategic enablers are discussed in 

Chapter 4. 

Military Strategic Objectives

Defeat, Deter 

Protect, Respond, Recover 

Defend, Dissuade, Deny

Reduce, Destroy, Reverse

Defeat and Deter WMD use

and subsequent use. The purpose 

of this objective is to counter an 

adversary capable of and willing to 

use WMD. The Department of 

Defense will further develop military 

capabilities to eliminate WMD 

threats in a non-permissive 

environment. Our intent and actions 

should deter a potential adversary 

from considering the initial or 

subsequent use of WMD. 

Adversaries must believe they will 

suffer severe consequences and that 

their objectives will be denied if they 

threaten or resort to the use of

WMD. Deterrence of WMD in the 

current era requires that U.S. 

Armed Forces possess a broad set of 

military capabilities to prevent an 

adversary from attacking with WMD 

and to protect against attacks. In

order to deter an adversary’s use of 

WMD and to defeat its WMD 

capability when deterrence fails, 

U.S. Armed Forces may be called 

upon to conduct offensive 

operations, elimination operations, 

interdiction operations, or active 

defense. 

17
Defend, Respond and Recover

from WMD use. This purpose of 

this objective is to respond to an 

adversary that has used WMD on 

the battlefield or against strategic U.

S. interests. Although our primary 

focus is to minimize the effects of 

WMD on military operations, U.S. 

Armed Forces must be prepared to

support the response to a WMD

event in the homeland and, when

directed, support allies and

partners. Despite the best efforts of 

the United States, our allies, and

partners, it is possible that our 

adversaries might successfully 

attack with WMD. To defend 

against and recover from WMD use,

U.S. Armed Forces will execute 

passive defense measures and be 

prepared to conduct WMD 

consequence management activities. 

Prevent, Dissuade or Deny 

WMD proliferation or possession. 

The purpose of this objective is to

keep WMD out of the hands of 

adversaries and potential 

adversaries, while simultaneously 

increasing ally and partner 

capability and support for

combating WMD activities. Current

and potential adversaries might 

believe that possession and/or 

proliferation of WMD, delivery 

systems, and related materials is a 

possible way to impose their will on

the United States, its allies, or

partners. To prevent, dissuade or 

deny adversaries or potential 

adversaries from possessing or 

proliferating WMD, U.S. Armed

Forces will be prepared to conduct 

offensive operations. The military 

must also support interdiction

efforts, security cooperation, and 

nonproliferation efforts. In addition, 

we will take actions to assure allies 

and partners that they do not need 

to possess WMD. 

Reduce, Destroy, or Reverse 

WMD possession. The purpose of 

this objective is to destroy or secure 

WMD when there is an agreement to 

do so. Current and potential allies 

and partners might desire to give up 

possession of WMD or associated 

technology at any point on the 

development or deployment 

spectrum. To reverse WMD 

programs and reduce WMD and 

related material stockpiles, the U. S.

Armed Forces will support threat 

reduction cooperation as well as be

prepared to assist in cooperative 

stockpile destruction activities. 

Means (Combatant Commands, 

Military Departments, and

Combat Support Agencies) 

The combatant commands, 

Military Departments, and combat 

support agencies are the means to 

accomplish MSOs. The combatant 

commands are primarily responsible 

for planning and execution; the 

Military Departments are primarily 

responsible for organizing, training, 

18
and equipping; and combat support 

agencies support both the 

combatant commands and the 

Military Departments. 

Commander, United States 

Strategic Command

(CDRUSSTRATCOM) is the lead 

combatant commander for 

integrating and synchronizing DOD 

efforts in combating WMD. 

Consistent with this assignment, 

USSTRATCOM will integrate and 

synchronize applicable Department 

of Defense-wide efforts across the 

doctrine, organization, training, 

material, leadership, personnel, and 

facilities spectrum. Combatant 

Commanders will continue to 

execute combating WMD missions 

within their AORs. The Military 

Departments develop doctrine and 

organize, train, and equip their 

forces to combat WMD unless 

otherwise directed. The agencies 

provide specialized capabilities and 

expertise in support of Combatant 

Commander execution of combating 

WMD missions. In addition, 

Commander, U.S. Northern 

Command (CDRUSNORTHCOM) and 

Commander, U.S. Pacific Command 

(CDRUSPACOM) have unique 

responsibilities for supporting 

domestic WMD consequence 

management activities. 

Combating WMD is a fullspectrum, multi-faceted mission set 

that will fully challenge DOD and

require effective cooperation among 

U.S. Government agencies, 

international allies and partners. 

WMD proliferation is a global threat

and must be addressed with a broad 

array of capabilities. Military efforts 

will need to be integrated with other 

organizations and nations that

possess capabilities, resources, or 

information that can contribute to 

the mission. In general, the 

demands across the full spectrum of 

combating WMD will require the 

military to work closely with 

domestic agencies, allies, and 

partners to dissuade, deter, and 

defeat those who seek to harm us 

with WMD. Precluding the 

convergence of WMD and terrorism 

requires, in great part, coordinating 

combating WMD objectives with the 

objectives of the Global War on

Terrorism, as described in the 

National Strategy for Combating 

WMD Terrorism. We must reinforce 

technical and logistical barriers to 

WMD acquisition and develop plans 

and capabilities for interdiction

where necessary. Finally, we must 

be prepared to prevent – through 

force if necessary – nation States 

from supporting or facilitating WMD 

acquisition and/or use by terrorists. 

19
CHAPTER 4 

Operational Guidance

Strategic Enablers 

 

Strategic enablers are 

crosscutting capabilities that 

facilitate execution of the military 

strategy. They enhance the 

effectiveness and integration of

military combating WMD mission 

capabilities. Commanders must 

continually assess enabling 

capabilities and identify required 

improvements. Three enablers 

facilitate DOD’s efforts to combat 

WMD: intelligence, partnership 

capacity, and strategic

communication. 

 Intelligence. Intelligence 

directly supports strategy, planning, 

and decision-making; facilitates 

improvements in operational 

capabilities; and informs 

programming and risk management. 

WMD intelligence is a supporting 

enabler of all eight mission areas. 

Since we recognize the limits of 

combating WMD intelligence, 

planning and execution decisions 

will be made using limited or 

incomplete information. However, 

we can strengthen our current WMD

intelligence by improving our 

capacity for early warning of CBRN

attack; transforming organizations 

and processes to improve combating 

WMD intelligence support; and 

fusing operations and intelligence to 

improve collection, assessment, and

dissemination of intelligence. 

Without actionable intelligence, we 

are unable to prevent, defeat, or 

reverse the proliferation and/or use 

of WMD. Understanding the WMD 

capabilities of potential adversaries 

is essential. An accurate and 

complete understanding of the full 

range of WMD threats, proliferation 

activities, and trends is vital to

developing effective near and longterm approaches. To reduce 

uncertainty, our intelligence 

capability must exploit a variety of 

sources, facilitate information 

sharing, and improve situational 

awareness. 

Strategic Enablers 

Intelligence 

Partnership Capacity 

Strategic Communication Support 

Detection is an essential aspect 

of combating WMD intelligence. It is 

the ability to “see” the threat.

Detection affects decision making in 

each of the eight mission areas at 

the strategic, operational, and 

tactical levels. Detection ranges from 

intelligence community efforts to 

collect information necessary for 

strategic planning, investment, and

decision making to operational or 

tactical detection of a CBRN threat 

on the battlefield. Detection also 

encompasses the capability to 

attribute the source of a CBRN 

attack or impending attack in order

to deter future actions. Early 

detection enables the intelligence 

20
community to characterize the 

nature of WMD facilities and inform 

decision makers of various defeat 

options more effectively. 

 

Partnership Capacity.

Building partnership capacity 

bilaterally and multilaterally 

enhances our capability to combat 

WMD. Incorporating our partners’ 

and allies’ combating WMD 

capabilities supports our ability to 

defend the homeland, deter forward, 

and conduct multiple, simultaneous 

activities. We must assist 

international partners to build

capacities to combat WMD 

effectively. Security cooperation 

efforts should not only, for example, 

focus on missile defense cooperation 

or the Proliferation Security 

Initiative (PSI), but should equally 

stress passive defense, elimination,

and WMD consequence

management cooperation, including 

efforts in multilateral fora. 

Incorporating such combating WMD 

cooperation into current Combatant 

Command Theater security 

cooperation initiatives should 

empower other nations and reduce 

potential burdens on the United 

States. Given the potential for 

operating in a WMD environment in 

the future, it is critical that partner 

and allied nations have the ability 

not only to survive an attack, but 

also to eliminate further threats and 

restore essential operations and 

military departments. Assistance 

from the international community 

could become a force multiplier in 

the U.S. effort to sustain operations 

and to combat WMD effectively. 

Strategic Communication 

Support. Strategic communication 

complements combating WMD 

efforts and helps shape perceptions 

at the global, regional, and national 

levels. The military plays a 

significant supporting role in the 

larger U.S. Government effort to 

communicate and demonstrate our 

resolve. Making progress requires 

the effective integration of

diplomacy, public affairs, and 

information operations. Strategic 

communications shape perceptions 

at the global, regional, and national 

levels. U.S. words and actions 

reassure allies and partners and 

underscore, to potential adversaries, 

the costs and risks associated with 

WMD acquisition and use.

21
Military Mission Areas 

The military mission is to dissuade, 

deter, defend, and defeat those who 

seek to harm the United States, its 

allies, and its partners through 

WMD use or threat of use and, if

attacked, mitigate the effects and 

restore deterrence. This mission is 

in direct support of the three pillars 

(non-proliferation, 

counterproliferation, and

consequence management) of the 

National Strategy for Combating 

WMD. 

As U.S. Armed Forces develop 

plans and capabilities using the 

guiding principles articulated above, 

they should focus on the four MSOs. 

Across these objectives, U.S. Armed 

Forces may be called upon to carry 

out eight missions (see Figure 2): 

offensive operations, elimination, 

interdiction, active defense, passive 

defense, WMD consequence 

management, security cooperation 

and partner activities, and threat 

reduction cooperation. Capabilities 

development should address and 

prioritize the critical capability 

needs of the eight mission areas. 

Mission: Dissuade, deter, defend against & defeat those who seek to harm the United

States, its allies and partners through WMD use or threat of use, and, if attacked, mitigate

the effects and restore deterrence .

Prevent, Dissuade, Deny Reduce, Destroy, Reverse

Defeat, Deter Defend, Respond, Recover

Enemy capable of WMD use / subsequent use Enemy uses WMD

Potential adversaries or others attempt to

possess or proliferate

Others agree to destroy or secure

current WMD

3⁄4 Offensive Operations

3⁄4 WMD Elimination 

3⁄4 Active Defense

3⁄4 Passive Defense

3⁄4 WMD Interdiction 

3⁄4 Offensive Operations

3⁄4 WMD Interdiction 

3⁄4 Security Cooperation

& Partner Activities

3⁄4 Threat Reduction Cooperation

3⁄4 Passive Defense 

3⁄4 Active Defense

3⁄4 WMD Consequence Management

Detection

Intelligence

Figure 2 – Military Mission Areas

22
Offensive Operations.

Offensive operations may include 

kinetic (both conventional and 

nuclear) and/or non-kinetic options 

(e.g., information operations) to 

deter or defeat a WMD threat or 

subsequent use of WMD. Offensive 

operations encompass the detection, 

identification, disruption, and/or 

destruction of an adversary’s WMD 

assets, means of delivery, associated 

facilities and other high-value 

targets necessary to achieve the 

desired effects and objectives. 

Offensive operations may be 

conducted at any time, across the 

spectrum of conflict. Defeating some 

types of targets requires specialized 

capabilities and operational 

concepts, including the capability to 

locate, seize, secure, render safe, 

recapture, recover, and/or destroy 

lost or stolen WMD; the capability to 

defeat hard and deeply buried 

targets; the capability to defeat or 

neutralize the chemical or biological 

agent and associated weapons and 

equipment with little to no collateral 

effect; and the capacity to find, fix, 

track, target, engage, and assess 

(F2T2EA) attacks against WMD

targets. Each link and node in the

proliferation pathway has 

vulnerabilities; we must have the 

plans and capabilities to exploit 

these vulnerabilities and affect each 

node through kinetic or non-kinetic 

means. 

 

Elimination Operations.

WMD Elimination operations are 

operations to systematically locate, 

characterize, secure, disable, and/or 

destroy a State or non-State actor’s 

WMD programs and related 

capabilities in hostile or uncertain 

environments. Elimination 

operations may be required when 

offensive operations against WMD 

targets carry unacceptable risk to 

the civilian population or U. S. and 

partner/allied armed forces. 

 

The priority for elimination

activities is to reduce or eliminate 

the threat to the United States and 

to support military and national 

objectives. Operational planning and

execution for elimination must 

ensure the safety of U.S. and 

partner/allied armed forces through 

1) security operations to prevent the 

looting or capture of WMD and 

related materials; and 2) rendering 

harmless or destroying of weapons, 

materials, agents, and delivery 

systems that pose an immediate or 

direct threat to U.S. Armed Forces

and the civilian population. 

Intelligence exploitation of program 

experts, documents, and other

media as well as previously secured 

weapons and material is essential to 

combating further WMD 

proliferation and to prevent 

regeneration of a WMD capability. 

Once these activities have been 

accomplished, elimination 

operations may be transferred, if 

directed, to other U. S. Government

agencies, international agencies, or 

23
host nations to continue destruction 

of WMD programs and to redirect 

and monitor dual-use industry and 

expertise capable of regenerating 

WMD capability. 

DOD must develop, 

institutionalize, and exercise a joint 

capability to eliminate WMD in 

uncertain environments. This will 

require integrating the elimination 

mission into doctrine, organization, 

training, personnel and education, 

material, leadership, and 

programming processes. 

Commanders should be prepared to 

conduct elimination activities from 

the initiation of operations until it is

determined that a transfer of 

authority to another agency is 

warranted. 

Interdiction Operations. WMD 

Interdiction operations are designed 

to stop the transit of WMD, delivery 

systems, associated and dual-use 

technologies, materials, and 

expertise between States of concern 

and between State and non-State 

actors, whether undertaken by the 

military or by other agencies of 

government (e.g., law enforcement). 

Commanders must be ready to 

interdict WMD and related materials 

in both non-permissive and 

permissive environments and 

coordinate efforts with other U.S. 

Government agencies and partner/ 

allied States, as directed. 

For example commanders 

should prepare to intercept, identify, 

safely secure, and dispose or 

render-safe any materials suspected 

as WMD-related, as directed. The

focus of interdiction must extend 

beyond traditional military 

interdiction conducted during 

hostilities to encompass peacetime 

military interdiction of dual-use 

materials. These operations to 

interdict proliferation-related 

shipments assist in the disruption 

and dismantlement of proliferation 

networks. Commanders must 

ensure the capability to divert, 

disrupt, delay, or destroy the 

enemy’s WMD capability, in both 

permissive and non-permissive 

environments, before it can be used 

against U.S. Armed Forces. A 

systematic interagency approach is 

required to respond to the growing 

volume and complexity of the WMD

trade. Without a sustained effort to 

track and disrupt this trade, the 

United States, its allies, and 

partners may miss critical 

opportunities to deny access to 

WMD. U.S. Armed Forces must 

24
continue to enhance interdiction 

capability to stop the proliferation of 

WMD and related materials. This 

mission is particularly dependent on 

timely, credible, and actionable 

intelligence. 

The emphasis on interdiction 

of WMD-related trafficking in a 

permissive environment has been

highlighted by the United States 

participation in the Proliferation 

Security Initiative (PSI). In support 

of the PSI, a growing number of likeminded nations are planning, 

exercising, and executing 

interdiction operations aimed at 

disrupting trafficking in WMD, their 

delivery systems, and related 

materials. The PSI represents a 

political commitment by the United 

States and others to undertake 

WMD-related interdiction through a

variety of means (including military), 

both nationally and, when 

necessary, in cooperation with other 

partners. In many cases PSI 

activities will involve U.S. 

Government agencies and 

international partners that may not 

be familiar with U.S. military 

planning and exercise procedures, 

requiring commands to adjust to 

meet the unique requirements of 

these exercises and operations. 

Active Defense. WMD Active 

defense measures include, but are 

not limited to, missile defense 

(ballistic and cruise), air defense, 

special operations, and security 

operations to defend against 

conventionally and unconventionally 

delivered WMD. A layered, 

networked defensive capability will 

incorporate networked homeland 

and regional land, sea, air, and 

space-based systems, and will 

employ both kinetic and non-kinetic 

means of defeating the delivery of

WMD. 

Passive Defense. WMD Passive 

defense includes measures to

minimize or negate the vulnerability 

and minimize effects of WMD use 

against U.S. and partner/allied

forces, as well as U.S. military 

interests, installations, and critical

infrastructure. Passive defense 

operations are addressed extensively 

in Joint and Military Department 

doctrine, and are organized around 

four key capabilities: 

• Sense – The ability to provide 

continuous information about 

the CBRN situation.

• Shape – The ability to 

characterize CBRN hazards to 

understand the current 

situation and predict future 

events. 

• Shield – The ability to protect

from the hazard. 

• Sustain – The ability to 

continue to operate in a 

contaminated environment. 

25
Success in passive defense 

operations depends on the effective 

integration of equipment, trained 

personnel, and proven techniques, 

tactics, and procedures. In addition, 

passive defense capabilities 

contribute to the success of other 

combating WMD missions, including 

interdiction, elimination, and 

consequence management. 

WMD Consequence

Management. WMD consequence 

management includes those actions 

taken to reduce the effects of a

WMD attack or event, including 

Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TIC) and 

Toxic Industrial Materials (TIM), and 

assist in the restoration of essential 

operations and services at home and 

abroad. U.S. Armed Forces must be 

prepared to support the response to 

a WMD event in the homeland and, 

when directed, support allies and 

partners. 

At home, U.S. Armed Forces 

may be required to support 

consequence management efforts of 

the Federal Government. When

directed or authorized by the 

President, the Secretary of Defense 

may authorize Defense Support of 

Civil Authorities (DSCA). Abroad, 

when requested by a host nation, 

the President may authorize and the

Secretary of Defense may direct DoD

support to U. S. Government foreign 

consequence management 

operations. For all consequence 

management activities, the military 

must be prepared either to support 

or lead consequence management 

operations, as directed. 

SHIELD

SUSTAIN

SHIELD

SUSTAIN

Security Cooperation and 

Partner Activities. Combating 

WMD is a global challenge, and it 

requires a coordinated international

response. Security cooperation and 

partner activities are those military 

activities that support international 

efforts to combat WMD. These 

activities should promote improved 

partnership capacity to combat 

WMD across the eight mission 

areas. Examples of excellent 

progress to date include 

international participation in PSI 

activities, establishment of the 

NATO CBRN defense battalion, and 

development of a NATO elimination 

capability. The military must strive 

to expand and exercise combating 

WMD partnerships with a goal of 

creating partners that can provide 

for themselves and assist during 

coalition operations across the eight 

mission areas. 

U.S. Armed Forces should 

undertake cooperative activities with 

regional military partners that 

promote improved partnership 

capacity to combat WMD. These

activities should foster common 

threat awareness, coalition building,

and interoperability. 

SHAPE

SENSE

26
Military support to 

nonproliferation efforts are those 

activities that assist U.S. and 

international efforts to prevent, 

dissuade, or deny State and nonState actors access to WMD-relevant 

capabilities. Military activities 

include support to international

activities including support for 

implementation of treaties, 

agreements, sanctions and export

control regimes and frameworks,

and national, international, and 

host-nation programs. 

Threat Reduction 

Cooperation. Threat reduction 

cooperation activities are those

activities undertaken with the 

consent and cooperation of host 

nation authorities to enhance 

physical security; emplace detection 

equipment; and reduce, dismantle, 

redirect, and/or improve protection 

of a State’s existing WMD programs, 

stockpiles and capabilities. The 

military must be prepared to provide 

support for these missions once 

approved by the Secretary of 

Defense. Although not primarily a 

combatant commander 

responsibility, combatant 

commanders must maintain 

visibility into these efforts to ensure 

theater security cooperation plans

and security measures are 

consistent with threat reduction 

initiatives. 

27
Chapter 5 

Conclusion

To ensure that the United States, its Armed Forces, allies, partners, and 

interests are neither threatened nor attacked by WMD, U.S. Armed Forces 

must be prepared to: defeat and deter WMD use and deter next use; defend 

against, respond to, and recover from WMD use; prevent, dissuade, or deny 

WMD proliferation or possession; and reduce, eliminate, or reverse WMD

possession. We will accomplish these MSOs through eight combating WMD 

missions: offensive operations, elimination, interdiction, active defense, passive 

defense, consequence management, security cooperation and partner activities,

and threat reduction cooperation. 

As U.S. Armed Forces develop plans to conduct the combating WMD missions, 

six principles should guide our actions: an active, layered defense-in-depth; 

integrated command and control; global force management; capabilities-based 

planning; effects-based approach; and assurance. In addition, Combatant 

Commanders must continually assess and recommend improvements for the 

strategic enablers of intelligence/detection capabilities, partnership capacity, 

and strategic communication support. Appropriately organized and resourced, 

this strategy will effectively balance military and strategic risk over the long

term. It will enable us to combat the WMD threats of today and transform the 

Joint Force to address the WMD challenges of tomorrow. 

Eight Mission Areas 

Offensive operations, Elimination, Interdiction, Active Defense, Passive Defense,

WMD Consequence Management, Security Cooperation and Partner Activities, 

Threat Reduction Cooperation 

Strategic Enablers

Intelligence – Partnership Capacity – Strategic Communication Support 

Military Strategic Objectives 

Defeat, Deter – Protect, Respond, Recover – Defend, Dissuade, 

Deny – Reduce, Destroy, Reverse 

End States

Standards by which we can measure effectiveness 

towards the Strategic Goal

Strategic Goal 

Ensure that the United States, its Armed Forces,

allies, partners, and interests are neither 

coerced nor attacked by enemies using WMD 

28
Annex A—Terms and Definitions 

Active Defense. Military measures 

to prevent, deter, or defeat the 

delivery of WMD. Measures include 

offensive and defensive,

conventional or unconventional 

actions to detect, divert, and destroy 

an adversary’s WMD and/or delivery 

means while en route to their target. 

(This term and its definition are 

applicable only in the context of this

publication and cannot be 

referenced outside this publication.) 

Combating WMD (CWMD). The

integrated and dynamic activities of 

the Department of Defense across 

the full range of

counterproliferation, 

nonproliferation, and consequence 

management efforts to counter 

WMD, their means of delivery, and 

related materials. 

Counterproliferation (CP). Actions 

to defeat the threat or use of 

weapons of mass destruction 

against the United States, U.S. 

Armed Forces, its allies, and 

partners. 

Elimination. Military operations to 

systematically locate, characterize, 

secure, disable, and/or destroy a 

State or non-State actor’s WMD 

programs and related capabilities in 

hostile or uncertain environments. 

(This term and its definition are 

applicable only in the context of this

publication and cannot be 

referenced outside this publication.) 

Interdiction. Operations to stop the 

transit of WMD, delivery systems 

and associated technologies, 

materials and expertise between 

States, and between State and nonState actors of proliferation concern 

in any environment. (This term and 

its definition are applicable only in 

the context of this publication and 

cannot be referenced outside this 

publication.) 

Nonproliferation (NP). Actions to 

prevent the proliferation of weapons 

of mass destruction by dissuading 

or impeding access to, or 

distribution of, sensitive 

technologies, material, and 

expertise. 

Non-permissive environment. An 

operational environment in which 

host government forces, whether 

opposed to or receptive to operations 

that a unit intends to conduct, do 

not have effective control of the 

territory and population in the 

intended operational area (Uncertain 

Environment), OR an operational 

environment in which hostile forces 

have control as well as the intent 

and capability to oppose or react 

effectively to the operations a unit 

intends to conduct (Hostile 

Environment). 

Offensive Operations. Kinetic (both 

conventional and nuclear) and/or 

non-kinetic operations to defeat, 

neutralize or deter a WMD threat or 

subsequent use of WMD. (This term 

and its definition are applicable only

in the context of this publication 

and cannot be referenced outside 

this publication.) 

29
Passive Defense. Measures to 

minimize or negate the vulnerability 

and effects of WMD employed 

against U.S. and partner/allied

Armed Forces, as well as U.S. 

military interests, installations, and 

critical infrastructure. (This term 

and its definition are applicable only

in the context of this publication 

and cannot be referenced outside 

this publication.) 

Permissive Environment.

Operational environment in which 

host country military and law 

enforcement agencies have control 

as well as the intent and capability 

to assist operations that a unit 

intends to conduct.

Proliferation. The transfer of 

WMD, related materials, technology, 

and expertise from suppliers to 

hostile States, or non-State actors. 

Security Cooperation and Partner 

Activities. Activities to improve 

partner and allied capacity to 

combat WMD across the eight 

mission areas through military-tomilitary contact, burden sharing 

arrangements, combined military 

activities, and support to 

international activities. 

Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TIC). 

Any chemical substance that can 

render forces ineffective under 

normal mission-oriented protective 

posture conditions. Primarily an 

inhalation hazard, but forces can 

receive a dosage through ingestions 

or absorption through the skin. 

NOTE: “Toxic industrial chemicals” 

is implied within the general 

discussion of the term “chemical 

agents,” but this term does not 

apply within the definition of 

“Chemical Warfare Agents” due to 

their dual-use capability. 

Toxic Industrial Materials (TIM). 

Any substance that, in a given 

quantity, produces toxic effect in 

exposed personnel through 

inhalation, ingestion, or absorption. 

Threat Reduction Cooperation.

Activities undertaken with the

consent and cooperation of host 

nation authorities to enhance 

physical security, and to reduce, 

dismantle, redirect, and/or improve 

protection of a State’s existing WMD 

program, stockpiles, and 

capabilities. 

Weapons of Mass Destruction 

(WMD). Weapons that are capable of

a high order of destruction and/or 

of being used in a manner so as to 

destroy large numbers of people. 

Weapons of mass destruction can be

nuclear, biological, chemical, and

radiological weapons, but exclude 

means of delivery of weapons where 

such means is a separable and

divisible part of the weapon. 

WMD Consequence Management. 

Actions taken to mitigate the effects 

of a WMD attack or event and 

restore essential operations and 

services at home and abroad. (This 

term and its definition are 

applicable only in the context of this

publication and cannot be 

referenced outside this publication.) 

30