Which of the following is NOT a primary step of the Joint Targeting Cycle (JTC)?

• A. Target development and vetting
• B. Battle damage assessment
• C. Weaponeering
• D. End state and commander’s objectives

Answer: (B)

Battle damage assessment is not a primary step of the Joint Targeting Cycle. The cycle is built around five interrelated phases: defining the end state and the commander’s objectives, developing and vetting targets, weaponeering (and assessing risk) to determine how to achieve those objectives, applying force, and assessing the results. The first three are explicit primary steps that set up and shape the targeting effort. Battle damage assessment belongs to the assessment phase as the feedback mechanism that determines whether the objective was met and what, if any, follow-on actions are needed. In other words, BDA is a component of assessing outcomes, not a standalone primary step in the cycle.