What is the purpose of COA Comparison?

The purpose of COA (Course of Action) Comparison within the Military Decision Making Process (MDMP) is fundamentally to evaluate the potential effectiveness and feasibility of each proposed course of action. This step is critical because it allows military planners to systematically assess how well each COA would achieve the mission objectives while considering various factors such as risks, resource availability, and alignment with commander's intent.

During the comparison phase, planners analyze multiple aspects of each COA, including advantages and disadvantages, to determine which one offers the best chance for success and is most feasible given the operational environment. This thorough evaluation is essential in providing sound recommendations to the commander, ensuring that decisions made are based on a comprehensive understanding of all viable options rather than intuition or incomplete information.

Other options refer to important aspects of military operations but do not encapsulate the core objective of COA Comparison, which is focused specifically on assessing the distinct merits and drawbacks of each COA to identify the most suitable one for execution.