Planning methods

Overall military planning comprises all planning activities related to the development of the armed forces and on the other hand to the field of engagement preparation and running the armed forces.

Within the Development sector, planning is also responsible for meeting the needs of the armed forces timely and economically. The Armed Forces Planning Staff (AFPS) manages these tasks.

The focus in the Engagement and Operations sector is on planning activities within the frame of the ‘contemporary armed forces’. In accordance with the core tasks, the individual groups are responsible.

The Planning Manual serves as a directive for planning, as a basis for training and provides information on overall military planning. It describes not only the field of planning itself, but also neighbouring fields. This provides a comprehensive overview and reveals connections in overall military planning. It does not replace the basis needed in the branches, directorates and federal offices for ensuring the respectively required daily duties. The planning necessary for own mission accomplishment is not the object of the Planning Manual.

For the actual planning procedures, overall military planning relies especially on systems engineering.

The Planning Manual at hand ensures transparency, system security and quality in overall military planning through:

• a planning system that is valid throughout the entire armed forces and its administration
• an approach, focused on mission, objective and results
• the definition of tasks, competencies and responsibilities of participants
• the definition of concepts
• standardised organisation of documents and reporting
• integration of comprehensive security and environmental aspects.

The actual Planning Manual reflects a given ideal situation. It is based on the organisational structures that were valid in 2001 and must be revised with the reform of the Defence sector and Armed Forces 95 (AF XXI).