Overview
The purpose of shaping is to create and preserve conditions for successful decisive engagement. Shaping may occur before, during or after decisive engagement. It can also be physical or psychological or both. Physical shaping includes destruction of particular adversary capabilities that could interfere with the decisive engagement. These include seizure of key terrain—which if held by the adversary would affect the decisive engagement—and interdiction of the movement or sustainment of adversary forces. Psychological shaping includes deception to undermine the adversary’s will, and actions to psychologically isolate the adversary from a population.
Shaping sets the conditions for decisive action. The agility and reach of air power make it a critical component in modern conflict, capable of shaping the battlespace and providing decisive advantages.