This manual, Army Doctrine Publication ADP 3-05 Special Operations January 2018, provides a broad understanding of Army special operations by describing how executing the two mutually supporting core competencies of special warfare and surgical strike contribute to unified land operations provides a foundation for how the Army meets the joint force commander’s needs by appropriately blending Army special operations forces and conventional forces.
The principal audience for ADP 3-05 is all members of the profession of arms. Commanders and staffs of Army headquarters serving as joint task force or multinational headquarters should also refer to applicable joint or multinational doctrine concerning the range of military operations and joint or multinational forces. Trainers and educators throughout the Army will also use this publication.
ADP 3-05 uses joint terms where applicable. Selected joint and Army terms and definitions appear in both the glossary and the text. ADP 3-05 is not the proponent publication (the authority) for any term. ADRP 3-05 is now the proponent publication of terms for which the previous ADP 3-05 was the authority. For definitions shown in the text, the term is italicized and the number of the proponent publication follows the definition.
Army special operations forces are those Active and Reserve Component Army forces designated by the Secretary of Defense that are specifically organized, trained, and equipped to conduct and support special operations (JP 3-05). The term Army special operations forces represents Civil Affairs, Psychological Operations, Rangers, Special Forces, Special Mission Units, and Army special operations aviation forces assigned to the United States Army Special Operations Command—all supported by the 528th Sustainment Brigade (Special Operations) (Airborne).
ADP 3-05 applies to the Active Army, the Army National Guard/Army National Guard of the United States, and the United States Army Reserve unless otherwise stated.
