Building a Contingency Menu: Using Capabilities-Based Planning for Homeland Defense and Homeland Security

摘要

A capabilities-based approach to contingency planning offers important opportunities to strengthen both Homeland Defense and Homeland Security. The Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have already begun moving beyond traditional threat-based and scenario-based planning methodologies toward a more capabilities based approach, but require embracing this concept more in order to counter challenges in developing contingency plans against current threats to the US Homeland. Additionally, given the critical responsibilities of state and local governments in Homeland Security, this planning approach might be applied far beyond the Federal government. This thesis examines ways that a specialized capabilities-based planning process might be applied to Homeland Defense and Homeland Security, and applies the proposed methodology to two case studies: the US Navy Component of US Northern Command and the New York City Fire Department.