ABSTRACT
This chapter examines newly emerging operational concepts in the context of North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) doctrinal pattern of change and continuity. It explains the evolution of operational concepts in terms of technological developments and changes in the central European military balance. The evolution of NATO strategy has reflected both roles with respect to the evolution of operational concepts. However tenuous the 14/2 tripwire strategy was as an operational plan, and despite the post hoc criticisms of its overdependency on nuclear escalation, it served remarkably well as a force development guideline focusing greater attention on the importance of the conventional shield. Given the changes in strategic and operational concepts, the conventional military balance in central Europe has changed substantially over the years.
