The Kill Web and the Classroom: Turning Multi-Domain Theory into Reality

Fight Club International
May 17
2 min read

In the latest episodes of the Think. Fight. Learn. Repeat. podcast, we go beyond the buzzwords of modern warfare. Host Lex Luciak is joined by Colonel Elizabeth Pham, Director of Joint Plans and Operations at the NATO School Oberammergau, for an intensive two-part masterclass on Multi-Domain Operations (MDO).

NATO has a new course on Multidomain Kill Chains

Col. Pham is no stranger to the cutting edge of military innovation. With a background in U.S. Marine Corps experimentation—specifically in information warfare and "kill web" design—she now leads the charge in transforming how NATO forces think, decide, and act.

Part 1: Moving from Concept to Execution

In Episode 7, the conversation addresses a hard truth: traditional planning processes are often too slow for a world where data moves at machine speed.

Col. Pham breaks down the gap between doctrine and the messy reality of the battlespace.

Key takeaways include:

Redefining the Kill Web: Moving away from linear "kill chains" toward a resilient web where any sensor can connect to any shooter across land, air, sea, space, and cyber.
The NATO MDO Course: How she partnered with the Naval Postgraduate School to build a curriculum that forces students to think and adapt under the pressure of denied and degraded environments.
Decision Advantage: Why the ability to make faster, better decisions is now more critical than having the most advanced platform or hardware.

Listen to Part 1: Episode 7 on Spotify

Part 2: Practicing the Future of War

In Episode 8, the discussion shifts from the "what" to the "how." Col. Pham explains how her team uses advanced tools to move beyond PowerPoint presentations and into practical warfighting capability.

Highlights from the second half include:

Maven Smart System & AI: A look at how students use AI-enabled planning tools to build real-time operational concepts and manage complex adaptive systems.
Fighting Through Friction: The course doesn't just teach success; it forces students to fight through cyber attacks, electronic warfare, and satellite denial.
The Human Element: Why changing a commander's mindset is often harder than adopting new technology. Col. Pham emphasizes that intuition and action advantage will be the ultimate deciders in future conflict.

Why These Episodes Matter

For the Fight Club International community, Col. Pham’s insights are a call to action. Her work at the NATO School mirrors our own mission: to foster an environment where "Think, Fight, Learn, Repeat" is a live exercise, not just a slogan.

If you are interested in the future of NATO, the integration of space and cyber into traditional maneuver, or simply how to lead in a world of high-speed ambiguity, these episodes are required listening.

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