This study seeks to analyze NATO-led Operation Allied Force, which took place in Kosovo from late March to early June 1999. The primary objective of the operation was to halt the ethnic cleansing of Kosovo Albanians, a campaign orchestrated by the then-President of Serbia, Slobodan Milošević. Although NATO initially anticipated that the operation would last only a few days, it ultimately extended over a span of 78 days. This raises the question: what factors contributed to the prolonged duration of the operation before Milošević capitulated?
This study employs John Warden's "Five Rings" theory to examine the operation at an operational-strategic level, focusing on targeting and its consequences. Warden's theory posits that the enemy can be viewed as a system of five concentric rings, with the innermost ring representing leadership, followed outward by processes, infrastructure, population, and military forces.
The analysis reveals that different target sets had varying effects on the outcome of the operation. However, NATO's ability to conduct operations was constrained by political considerations and limitations on targeting, which likely contributed to the extended duration of the intervention. Ultimately, the operation is considered successful as it achieved its primary goal: ending the oppression of civilians in Kosovo.