The IPB process runs from mission to intelligence products to the commander's decision — and simply restarts after execution with updated information. New information continuously feeds back into earlier judgments.
Step 1 — Define the Battlespace Environment
Define the geographic and operational limits of the mission: the Area of Operations (AO), the Area of Interest (AI), adjacent units, initial intelligence requirements and the operational framework.
Typical products: AO overlay, AI overlay, initial requirements, PIR list. Methods: mission analysis, METT-TC, requirements analysis.
→ Fully covered in Chapter 4.
Step 2 — Describe the Battlespace Effects
Determine how the environment affects both friendly and enemy operations: terrain, weather, infrastructure, mobility, observation and the civil environment.
| Method | Purpose |
|---|---|
| OAKOC / RABVI / OCOKA | Terrain analysis |
| MCOO + mobility analysis | GO / SLOW-GO / NO-GO, corridors |
| Weather analysis | Operational weather effects |
| ASCOPE / PMESII-PT | Civil environment / operational environment system |
Typical products: COO, MCOO, mobility corridor overlay, terrain effects matrix, weather effects matrix.
→ Fully covered in Chapter 5.
Step 3 — Evaluate the Threat
Understand how the enemy fights: organization, doctrine, capabilities, limitations, logistics, command structure and combat effectiveness.
Methods: SALUTE, ORBAT development, capability analysis, threat template, SWOT. Typical products: order of battle, threat template, capability matrix, HVT list, threat assessment.
→ Fully covered in Chapter 6.
Step 4 — Determine Threat Courses of Action
Predict how the enemy is likely to operate. This step integrates all previous analysis into an MLCOA (most likely), an MDCOA (most dangerous), and alternative COAs where needed.
Techniques: indicator analysis, event analysis, decision support analysis, wargaming, targeting analysis. Typical products: SITEMP, event template, event matrix, NAIs, TAIs, DST and DSM.
→ Fully covered in Chapter 7.