Overall role and missions

Created on 1st June 2004, the Army Centre for Force Employment Doctrine (CDEF) is located at the Ecole Militaire in Paris. It is placed under the direct authority of the Chief of the French Army and is commanded by a general officer, called Director of the CDEF.

Enforcing the directives given to him, the Director writes the Army's force employment doctrine, aimed at ensuring its enhanced performance on operations. As such, he designs, enforces, validates and has changes brought about in the force employment documents, procedures, methods and staff techniques.

The CDEF participates in the definition of the operational force packages and in the definition of the equipment requirements.

It also has other responsibilities in the fields of operational research, simulation and documentation.

In terms of simulation, it participates in the technical evolution and in the adaptation of the Force preparation centres, the combat training centre (CENTAC) and the MOUT⁽¹⁾ training centre (CENZUB). It conducts the technical studies necessary for this evolution in close co-operation with the Land Force Command (CFT).

It contributes to the teaching and upgrading of operational staffs and HQs. It is responsible for After Action Reviews at the CP Training Centre (CEPC) and, in that respect and in close co-ordination with the CFT, it participates in the operational evaluation of the three levels of CPs (Force / Army Corps – Force HQs / Divisions – Brigades).

The main missions of the CDEF are distributed among the divisions, placed under the direct authority of the Director

The Doctrine Division (DDo)
The Doctrine Division is in charge of all the force employment doctrine activities (design, writing, dissemination, teaching) within the Army.

The Lessons Learned Division (DREX)
The Lessons Learned Division co-ordinates the Lessons Learned function for the Army. It defines the lessons and steers their processing in three domains: doctrine, training and equipment.

The Modelling Simulation and Operational Research Division (DSRO)
The Simulation and Operational Research Division acts as an advisor for combat simulation and decision-making expertise. It develops the simulation tools for the forces' CPs and carries out operational analysis studies.

The Support and Documentation Division (DAD)
The Support and Documentation Division runs and supports the CDEF. It finalises the presentation of the documents and disseminates them.

The six areas of responsability of the CDEF

1 - DOCTRINE

• Drafting the land forces doctrine, together with the studies and prospective divisions of the branch schools and with the doctrinal community within the Army and beyond;
• Participating in the writing of joint doctrine;
• Participating in the writing of allied doctrine.

2 - LESSONS LEARNED

• Leading and co-ordinating the Lessons Learned from operations and Army corps down to brigade level exercises;
• Conduct the necessary research in the force employment domain.

3 - OPERATIONAL RESEARCH

• Implementing the techniques designed to help decision-making within the Army.

4 - MODELLING AND SIMULATION

• Designing and developing the Army's constructive simulation systems (force CPs),
• Being the Army's simulation expert for constructive, virtual (3D environment) and live (CENTAC) simulations.

5 - PARTICIPATION IN

• The definition of projectable force-packages,
• The evolution of equipment,
• The preparation of the forces.

6 - DOCTRINAL INFLUENCE

• Disseminating doctrine within the French Army;
• Disseminating the doctrinal thinking outside the Army; comparing the French doctrine with that of our partners (especially within NATO), and exercising our doctrinal influence).

(1) : Military Operations on Urban Terrain