military operation

/ˌmɪləˈtɛri ˈɑpəˌreɪʃən/

Other forms: military operations

Definitions of military operation

1. noun

   activity by a military or naval force (as a maneuver or campaign)
   synonyms: operation

   examples:

   Meuse-Argonne operation

   an American operation in World War I (1918); American troops under Pershing drove back the German armies which were saved only by the armistice on November 11

   Operation Desert Storm

   the United States and its allies defeated Iraq in a ground war that lasted 100 hours (1991)

   types:

   combined operation

   a military operation carried out cooperatively by two or more allied nations or a military operation carried out by coordination of sea, land, and air forces

   maneuver, manoeuvre, simulated military operation

   a military training exercise

   campaign, military campaign

   several related operations aimed at achieving a particular goal (usually within geographical and temporal constraints)

   naval campaign

   an operation conducted primarily by naval forces in order to gain or extend or maintain control of the sea

   military mission, mission

   an operation that is assigned by a higher headquarters

   reenforcement, reinforcement, support

   a military operation (often involving new supplies of men and materiel) to strengthen a military force or aid in the performance of its mission

   attack, onrush, onset, onslaught

   (military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)

   offence, offense, offensive

   the action of attacking an enemy

   peacekeeping, peacekeeping mission, peacekeeping operation

   the activity of keeping the peace by military forces (especially when international military forces enforce a truce between hostile groups or nations)

   amphibious operation

   a military operation by both land and sea forces

   information gathering

   the act of collecting information

   psychological operation, psyop

   military actions designed to influence the perceptions and attitudes of individuals, groups, and foreign governments

   covert operation

   an intelligence operation so planned as to permit plausible denial by the sponsor

   expedition, hostile expedition, military expedition

   a military campaign designed to achieve a specific objective in a foreign country

   combat mission

   a mission to capture or defend something

   search mission

   a mission to discover something

   search and destroy mission

   an operation developed for United States troops in Vietnam; troops would move through a designated area destroying troops as they found them

   close support

   close-in firing by one unit against an enemy engaged by another unit

   direct support

   a mission requiring one force to support another specific force and authorizing it to answer directly the supported force's request for assistance

   amphibious demonstration

   an amphibious operation conducted for the purpose of deceiving the enemy and leading him into a course of action unfavorable to him

   ground attack

   an attack by ground troops

   charge

   an impetuous rush toward someone or something

   banzai attack, banzai charge

   a mass attack of troops without concern for casualties; originated by Japanese who accompanied it with yells of `banzai'

   diversion, diversionary attack

   an attack calculated to draw enemy defense away from the point of the principal attack

   incursion, penetration

   an attack that penetrates into enemy territory

   blitz, blitzkrieg

   a swift and violent military offensive with intensive aerial bombardment

   strike

   an attack that is intended to seize or inflict damage on or destroy an objective

   counterattack, countermove

   an attack by a defending force against an attacking enemy force in order to regain lost ground or cut off enemy advance units etc.

   bombardment, bombing

   an attack by dropping bombs

   counteroffensive

   a large scale offensive (more than a counterattack) undertaken by a defending force to seize the initiative from an attacking force

   dirty war

   an offensive conducted by secret police or the military of a regime against revolutionary and terrorist insurgents and marked by the use of kidnapping and torture and murder with civilians often being the victims

   push back, rollback

   the act of forcing the enemy to withdraw

   amphibious assault

   an amphibious operation attacking a land base that is carried out by troops that are landed by naval ships

   intelligence, intelligence activity, intelligence operation

   the operation of gathering information about an enemy

   black operation

   a covert operation not attributable to the organization carrying it out

   fire, firing

   the act of firing weapons or artillery at an enemy

   strafe

   an attack of machine-gun fire or cannon fire from a low flying airplane

   coup de main, surprise attack

   an attack without warning

   type of:

   activity

   any specific behavior