STEP 1
What is the first step of IPOE
Define the Operational Environment
What is the purpose of step 2 of IPOE
To determine how the operational environment affects friendly and threat operations
What is the primary purpose of Step 3?
To evaluate the threat and determine its capabilities, limitations, organization, and likely employment.
What is the primary purpose of Step 4?
To determine and develop likely threat courses of action.
What is the primary purpose of information collection?
To collect information needed to answer intelligence requirements and reduce uncertainty for commanders.
What is the purpose of defining the operational environment
To identify chararcteristics of the OE that may affect friendly and threat operations
This acronym is commonly used to describe major terrain and weather considerations
OAKOC
Observation and fields of fire
Avenues of approach
Key Terrain
Obstacles
Cover and Concealment
This product depicts the threat’s doctrinal organization, equipment, capabilities, and how it normally operates.
Threat model.
What does COA stand for?
Course of Action
What is the difference between information collection and intelligence?
Information collection obtains raw information; intelligence is the analyzed product derived from information.
What 3 broad areas are typically considered when defining the operational environment
AO, AOI, AI
A bridge is the only crossing point over a major river and controls movement through the area. What aspect of OAKOC does the bridge most directly represent
Key Terrain
Intelligence analysts use threat doctrine, historical data, and current intelligence to determine how the threat normally operates. What is this called?
Threat templating
A threat COA should be what three things?
Suitable, feasible, and consistent with threat doctrine/capabilities.
A commander wants to know whether an enemy unit has moved into a specific area. What type of requirement could be developed to determine this?
An intelligence requirement (IR), supported by an information collection requirement/task.
Area of Interest (AOI)
A dense urban area prevents line-of-sight communications and restricts vehicle movement. During step 2, what are you identifying.
The effects of the environment on military operations
A threat battalion normally attacks with two companies forward and keeps one company in reserve. What type of information is this?
Threat doctrinal or templated information describing the threat’s normal pattern of operations.
Intelligence determines the enemy could attack from either the east or west. Analysts develop both options for further consideration. What are these?
Threat courses of action
A PIR asks, “Will the enemy attack NLT 0600?” What should the collection plan identify to help answer this question?
Indicators, collection requirements, collection assets, tasks, timing, and reporting requirements.
Your BDE is operating in one country but an advesary's long-range missile system located in a neighboring country can affect your operations. During step 1, what should this area most likely be considered?
The Area of Interest
Your analysis determines that mountainous terrain restricts armored movement but provides excellent observation positions for dismounted forces. What should the intelligence analyst identify.
The terrain creates different advantages an disadvantages for both friendly and threat forces and should be incorporated into the operational environment analysis.
Analysts determine that an enemy brigade has the capability to conduct a battalion-sized air assault but lacks sufficient aircraft to move the entire brigade simultaneously. What are analysts identifying?
The threat’s capabilities and limitations.
The commander asks, “What is the enemy most likely to do, and what is the enemy most dangerous COA?” Which IPOE step directly supports answering this question?
Step 4 – Determine Threat COAs.
During Step 4, analysts determine the enemy’s most likely COA involves moving a mechanized company through a specific avenue of approach. What should the ISR/collection manager do with this information?
Develop indicators and collection requirements focused on that COA and synchronize available collection assets against those requirements.