The man generally known as the architect of what’s termed “effects based operations,” Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula, set the tone for representatives from all combatant commands at a US Pacific Command-sponsored EBO workshop. (Read Deptula’s 2001 article in Air Force Magazine.) Deptula, who is commander of the Kenney warfighting center at Hickam AFB, Hawaii, told attendees that EBO is “not a process” and it shouldn’t be turned into “a tactic, technique, or procedure.” And, he maintains it is “not service specific.” Deptula describes EBO as a “methodology or a way of thinking” that “needs to supplement tried-and-true practices of military force application.” That methodology would include all options—from diplomatic to military—to achieve strategic objectives.
Former AFCENT Commander Reflects on Lessons of Epic Fury
Sept. 13, 2026
Operation Epic Fury marked the U.S. military's largest air campaign in a generation, with strikes on 13,000 targets in Iran before the first in a series of shaky ceasefires began in April. Now, even as hostilities continue to flare up, Lt. Gen. Derek C. France sees several clear lessons that…
