This is United States Air Force Doctrine Publication AFDP 3-0 Operations January 2025. Doctrine embodies the fundamental principles by which military forces guide their actions in support of national objectives. It is a body of carefully developed, authoritative ideas that are officially approved and establish a common frame of reference for solving military problems. However, to be an effective guide, the challenge for doctrine is to simultaneously look to the past, be applicable in the present, and orient toward the future. This manual, Air Force Doctrine Publication AFDP 3-0 Operations January 2025, though firmly rooted in the past, also looks to the future, adapting where needed to ensure continued utility and efficacy for tomorrow’s challenges. This publication was significantly revised from the previous version (AFDP 3-0, Operations and Planning) to focus on operational fundamentals guiding the United States Air Force (USAF) in a new reality where decision advantage, freedom of maneuver, and freedom of action are increasingly challenged. In this complex world, airpower remains the key enabler of the United States’ (US) military power. The underlying imperative for AFDP 3-0 is that an Airman’s greatest contribution to the joint force is understanding airpower application. Success in this contested environment requires increased integration and synchronization with the joint force. Therefore, AFDP 3-0 has been restructured to describe the competition continuum as the global context for air operations and communicate how the USAF’s core functions, enabled by the Service’s distinct capabilities, guide the application of airpower. Additionally, AFDP 3-0 discusses how the USAF will command, generate, and present combat-ready forces, including the Air Force Force Generation (AFFORGEN) model, combat wings, and the concept of Agile Combat Employment (ACE). These topics incorporate the joint functions and tenets of airpower to communicate USAF doctrine in a language that is recognizable and familiar to other Services.
