21st Century U.S. Military Manuals: U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) Navy Planning - Navy Warfare Publication NWP 5-01

Part of our value-added professional format series of U.S. military manuals, this U.S. Marine Corps / Navy manual is the foundation for Navy planning. It establishes doctrine and puts forward the fundamental principles to guide planning within the framework of service, joint, or multinational operations. It supersedes NWP 5-01(A), Naval Operational Planning.

This publication is in essence about the concepts of decision making, and it provides the basic process for planning Navy operations. The principles contained within can be applied by any echelon—on a ship, in a strike group, or in a task force. The process can be applied by a commander facing a conventional threat such as another nation's navy or in a conflict dominated by asymmetric tactics and an unconventional enemy. Moreover, the principles contained within are applicable to a variety of other evolutions, some not necessarily operational in nature, in which a commander may be involved.

Though this publication likely will find its greatest utility with a Navy component commander (NCC), Navy numbered fleet commander, or a joint force maritime component commander (JFMCC), it will refer to Navy organizations in general, regardless of level of command.

Doctrine and procedures established in this publication apply to all Navy commands and also may apply to commands predominantly composed of Navy forces but headed by another service. Guidance in this NWP is authoritative. It will be followed unless, in the judgment of the commander, circumstances do not permit its use, mandate substantial changes, or require that other planning doctrine be used. As stated previously, this publication mirrors the guidance in joint and other service documents; however, conflicts between the contents of this publication and that contained in other planning documents may arise given the fluid and unpredictable nature of combat, potentially unforeseen changes in joint and other service doctrine, as well as intricacies of joint and multinational operations. Unless operating as part of a joint or multinational command, commanders will consider this NWP as having precedence. Navy commanders should take every measure to resolve significant disagreements between this publication and other planning doctrine that can adversely affect the planning and conduct of effective operations.