Which targeting method uses a systematic approach to prioritize targets based on operational effects?

Effects-based targeting is designed to prioritize targets based on the desired operational effects, integrating the analysis of the battlefield environment and understanding how the destruction or neutralization of a target will create specific impacts on enemy capabilities and overall mission objectives. This method goes beyond merely identifying and engaging targets; it emphasizes the consequences of those actions and how they contribute to achieving strategic goals.

By focusing on the operational effects, effects-based targeting allows commanders to make informed decisions on which targets to engage, considering factors like timing, potential collateral damage, and the broader operational context. This holistic approach ensures that resources are applied in the most effective way to achieve desired outcomes within the operational theater.

The other methods—target acquisition, rapid response targeting, and intelligence-driven targeting—do not primarily focus on the systematic prioritization based on the effects of targeting choices, instead emphasizing other aspects such as gathering information, speed of response, or intelligence gathering, which are important but do not encapsulate the strategic prioritization inherent in effects-based targeting.