What are the three planning detail levels of a contingency plan, arranged from least detailed to most detailed?

The sequencing of planning detail levels in contingency planning begins with a broad understanding and moves toward increasingly specific directives. Starting with the Commander's Estimate, this foundational layer focuses on assessing the situation and determining feasible courses of action, thus providing an overarching strategic framework without delving into the specifics of execution.

Next is the Base Plan (BPLAN), which serves as a broad outline of the plan's objectives, concepts of operations, and resources needed. This stage builds upon the Commander's Estimate by formalizing the intent and the initial steps toward operational readiness. It offers a solid structure but remains general enough to allow for flexibility concerning execution.

Finally, the Concept Plan (CONPLAN) narrows the focus further, detailing specific operational concepts and capabilities required for the execution of the plan. It translates the broader intentions set forth in the prior stages into actionable elements, elaborating upon the scenarios and operational considerations.

This structured progression from the general military assessment and strategy found in the Commander's Estimate, to the flexibility of the Base Plan, and then to the detailed implementation within the Concept Plan, illustrates a logical path of increasing specificity and detail in contingency planning.