Commander's Handbook for Joint Time-Sensitive Targetting

As we learned from experiences in such locales as Iraq, Kosovo, and Afghanistan, our ability to engage time-sensitive targets in a timely, efficient, and effective manner is a requisite for successful military operations. US forces are faced with an ever-increasing threat from adversaries that pose (or could pose) a direct danger and demand an immediate response. The complexities of engaging time-sensitive targets require joint force commanders and their staffs to fully appreciate the coordination and integration that are required to minimize the chance of fratricide and other collateral effects. This Handbook provides examples from combatant commands and joint task forces to assist in the prosecution of time-sensitive targets. This Handbook is designed for joint force commanders and their staffs to assist them in rapid target engagement. It is meant to be a resource tool for the joint force commander, joint force headquarters, and the joint force components. Though consistent with joint and Service doctrine, it is not a doctrinal publication. Joint Publication 3-60, Joint Doctrine for Targeting,17 January 2002, is the authoritative publication and has an appendix for time-sensitive targeting considerations.