Through its publications, INSS provides rigorous, forward‑looking research and analysis on critical national security issues that support the joint warfighter and inform Department of War decision‑makers.
Aug. 11, 2026
Decision Advantage in Cognitive Warfare, Part 1
The functions of observation and orientation, central components of the OODA (Observe-Orient-Decide-Act) loop posited by Colonel John Boyd, U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, military strategist, and influential theorist of decision-making, have long been used to explain the cognitive processes that underpin military leadership and operational effectiveness. Within this framework, military advantage has historically been associated with the ability to observe, orient, decide, and act more skillfully and rapidly than an adversary.